Revealing the Truth
by just-another-fan-account
Summary: With a deadly serial killer on the loose, Sunagakure ANBU member Kazuko decides to travel to Konohagakure with her partner, disguised as newlyweds in order to catch him. During their mission, she meets Kakashi Hatake. His shrewd gaze unsettles her, and she soon realizes that keeping her identity secret—and her heart safe—might be more dangerous than the actual mission.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone! This is a really old fic that I'm re-writing. I don't know if it will get traction, but I worked hard on it when I first wrote the story, so I thought I should at least post it. **Trigger warning** for those sensitive to topics about rape and blood. (They are mentioned, but not discussed in detail.)_

* * *

It was the middle of the night when a loud shriek sounded throughout the streets of Sunagakure. The culprit of the sound lay naked, spreadeagled on the cold timber floors of her apartment, her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling, her throat slit from end to end.

Sunagakure's ANBU were quick to arrive at the scene. The sight that greeted them was shocking, even with their training and skills. The girl lying on the ground—not even eighteen—was covered in blood, the crimson liquid already starting to harden around her body. That wasn't unusual for the team of specialists though, but what _did _shock them was that the girl's fingers had been cut off. And it wasn't a clean cut either—it was as if her fingers had been sawed off with a very blunt weapon.

"Disgusting," One of the young ANBU shinobi stated, his face scrunching up in distaste behind his mask.

"The poor girl, I wonder who would have done this to her." The ANBU captain pondered quietly as he walked over to the body, watching as the girl's blood glistened in the moonlight.

"Whoever did it is one sick freak." Spat another ANBU member.

"Captain..." The sandy haired ANBU said softly, raising his hand in the air hesitantly. At the age of twenty-one, he was the youngest in the squad.

The captain sighed. "What is it, Naoko? And what have I told you about raising your hand?"

"Right. Sorry captain." Naoko answered, his hidden gaze flickering to the floor, cringing at the sight of the bloodied girl. He snapped his eyes back to his captain so he wouldn't have to look at her.

"Look, Naoko, I know you're new to these missions, but you have to learn to grow up. You're going to see plenty of this kind of stuff while being an ANBU member." The captain stated, shaking his head at the sight of his youngest member shifting from foot to foot awkwardly.

"I-I know captain, sorry. It's just, I think I know who did this."

This piqued the captain's curiosity and he raised an eyebrow at his subordinate, even though no one could see the gesture. "Well, out with it then." He ordered sternly.

Naoko froze as all eyes fell on him and he twitched nervously, a subconscious habit of his. "W-Well, I don't know his real name, but he has made quite a name for himself in the Bingo Book. They call him the 'Night Demon'." Naoko pulled out his copy of the Bingo Book and fingered through the pages until he reached the desired one. Shuffling awkwardly towards his captain, he pointed to the page as he read the words. "'_The Night Demon'is a ruthless killer. He moves from town to town and village to village, transforming his appearance, so it is not known what his true identity really is'." _Naoko looked up at his captain, his face paling beneath the mask. "This is the worst bit, captain. '_The Night Demon's victims consist of young females, ranging from ten to nineteen years of age. He rapes them before slitting their throats and draining them of their blood. After they are dead, the Night Demon saws off their fingers. It is not known what he uses to do this since no weapon has found that matches the inflicted wounds.'"_

The captain turned away, his forefinger curling around his chin as he pondered over this new information. "Yes, I do believe I have heard of this killer before. He is one of the deadliest S-ranked criminals around."

"And one of the stealthiest. It is rumoured that he is travelling to all of the major villages of the country, killing innocent girls as he goes." Naoko said.

"And how do people know this if they do not know his identity?" The captain asked.

"Because reports have been made from three of the five major villages that at least two or more females have been killed in this exact fashion. And, if I'm correct, isn't this the second victim with these same injuries in our village?"

"Yes, yes that is correct..." The captain turned again and started pacing the room. "Hmm, if he _is_ travelling to all of the major villages of the country, where would he be headed next?"

"Konoha cap'n," A female voice spoke up. "It's the only village that the reports haven't come from. We believe that Konoha is his next target."

The captain turned to the lone female of his ANBU squad, eyeing her. She was special to him—like a daughter. It couldn't be seen now, but her lilac coloured eyes enhanced the beauty of her features. Her long white hair was currently tied in a bun on top of her head, only a few stray strands coming undone to bob against her mask lightly. When she took it out, however, it fell to her waist in waves.

"Kazuko, you know of this criminal too?" The captain asked.

"Yes captain. It's… personal." The twenty-four year old ANBU kunoichi replied, a little hesitantly.

The captain gave the female ANBU a concerned glance. He valued her as a shinobi and he trusted her with his life, so hearing that she had a personal vendetta against the Night Demon frightened him.

After a moment of silence, the captain looked around at his squad, assessing the situation while a plan formed in his mind. "Alright team, so the killer is heading to Konohagakure next, and being as that we are allied with the village, it is our duty to warn them about the oncoming danger. I will split you up and we will travel in two teams, searching the area for any suspicious activity before he can reach his destination."

Naoko cleared his throat nervously and raised his hand again. "Uh captain, we have another idea." He stated, indicating Kazuko who stood to attention beside him.

The captain turned towards them, raising an eyebrow. Any idea from Kazuko had to be a good idea. "Alright, I'm listening."

.

.

.

The duo walked silently along the path, the hot sun beating down on them. They wore casual clothes, a simple red and white kimono for the female and a short sleeved black shirt and faded jeans for the male. Their Suna ANBU masks had long been discarded from their attire, hidden somewhere in their clothing.

"So, how did you convince the captain into doing this?" The male asked, still stunned from the heated conversation that ensued the night before.

The young woman let her lips curve upwards ever so slightly, showing her amusement. "Captain Yasuo can't say no to me. He loves me like a daughter, and I'm all he's got."

Naoko raised an eyebrow at his partner. "Exactly; you're all he has. I truly thought he would have flat out refused the proposal."

"Ah, but Naoko, I can be very persuasive."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Very true. I don't know how I forgot."

The duo became silent again as they continued to walk towards Konohagakure, their feet making nary a sound on the soft ground beneath them. Around them, the trees swayed in the wind and small animals could be seen scuttling around behind the bushes, eager to get to their destinations before a predator came along. The young couple rounded a corner and their destination came into view, looming large and intimidating, even from a distance.

"Before we reach the village, let's go through our story again." Naoko said, resting his hands behind his head lazily as he walked.

"We're newlyweds and Konoha is our honeymoon destination." The female kunoichi explained emotionlessly, the backstory already memorized in her head. "Only the Hokage knows that we are undercover shinobi, but to everyone else, we are just a normal, married couple."

Naoko nodded his head, soaking in the information for the third time. "Right, and once we get settled, the Hokage will inform an ANBU squad in the village that there are two Suna ANBU that will be working with them to catch the Night Demon. But they aren't to know our real identities—only Lord Hokage is subject to that information."

"Exactly."

The couple reached Konoha's large gates and Naoko grinned cheekily at his comrade. "You ready for this, sweetie?" He asked, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

Kazuko frowned at her partner. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to you calling me that."

Naoko laughed and pointed to his ring finger, a wedding band now secured snugly against the skin. "You'll have to. Don't forget that we're hitched now." He laughed again at the look Kazuko gave him before turning back to face the massive village gates. He sobered, a deep sigh leaving his lips as he steeled himself for the job ahead. "Well, I guess it's time. The mission is a go."

.

.

.

Darkness consumed the small apartment. It was their first night in Konoha and, depending on how long their mission took, the apartment may be their new home for a long time.

The couple sat in silence while they ate at the dining table, the only noise that of the bustling streets outside. It was seven, and while it was already dark, most of the village was still happily active. The two undercover shinobi had made their way straight to the Third Hokage after arriving at Konohagakure where they filled him in on their mission. They were to meet up with their assigned ANBU squad every night in order to flush him out.

"Well, I'm going to hit the sack. We have a big day starting tomorrow, mapping out the village to find the best vantage points to track the _Night Demon_." Naoko stated, stretching as he stood up from the table with a yawn. "Goodnight, Kazuko."

Naoko nodded in response, giving a slight wave to tell him she had heard. "I'm going to clean my weapons first."

Chuckling, Naoko shook his head. "You've always been obsessed with cleanliness. Don't scrub at them too hard and try to get to bed early. We have a meeting with the Konoha ANBU squad tomorrow night to think of a strategy to bring this guy down, so you'll need as much rest as you can get."

"Relax, I'm a big girl." She sighed, shooing him away with her hand. Naoko just shrugged and made his way to his bedroom, more than ready for bed after their long journey.

.

.

.

"Do you have the map with you, Kazuko? You did get it from the dining bench, right?" Naoko asked, looking over at her expectantly the next morning as they walked along the streets of Konoha.

"I've got it, don't stress." Kazuko sighed in reply. He had always been a worrywart.

"Do you think we should introduce ourselves to the ninja in the village, so we get a feel for which shinobi we'll have to look out for?" Naoko's hands were linked together leisurely behind his back as he strolled along, humming occasionally under his breath.

Kazuko shot him a look, trying not to let herself get too irritated. "We're supposed to be honeymooning in the village; the shinobi will get suspicious if we introduce ourselves to them." She reminded him.

"Right, so true. But if we bump into one accidentally, it'll be good to start a friendly conversation with them, don't you think?" Naoko grinned mischievously and Kazuko almost groaned out loud. No doubt by the end of their mission, he would have cozied up to just about every ninja in the village if she didn't keep a close eye on him.

Kazuko raised an annoyed eyebrow at her partner, trying to psych him out. "I don't do 'friendly conversations'. You of all people should know that." She said dryly.

"Of course, how could I forget?" Naoko chuckled lightly. "Do you think we should have fake names while we stay here? Just in case we _do _run into someone and they ask who we are."

Kazuko turned her head straight again, her keen eyes scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary. "That's a good idea. We have to keep our ANBU identity a secret, so we shouldn't use our real names while playing at civilians."

"Yeah. So, I was thinking Hiromasa for me, as it means wise." Naoko wiggled his eyebrows and his white-haired comrade rolled her eyes in response. "And I think… Airi for you."

Kazuko cocked a brow, unimpressed. "Beloved jasmine?"

Naoko just grinned in response. "You got it. You do love jasmines after all."

"Thank you." Kazuko replied humorlessly, refusing to look at her friend's teasing smile. The two of them had known each other since childhood, before Kazuko's parents died in a horrific mission when she was seven and her sister was… Kazuko shivered and shook her head, ridding those awful memories from her mind. _It isn't the time to get sentimental, s_he scolded herself.

"Alrighty, now to get down to business. Let's take a look at that map you have of the village." Naoko exclaimed, clapping his hands enthusiastically. Kazuko passed her partner the map and they studied it as they walked, memorizing the streets and alleyways as they went.

.

.

.

After spending most of the morning walking around the village, the couple stopped at a park bench for a break. Kazuko smoothed the creases from her outfit as she sat down, clicking her heels together softly while she waited for her partner to finish his observations.

"Okay," He declared, standing up to stretch. He handed Kazuko the map and let out a loud yawn. "What we know of the _Night Demon_ is this: He only kills his victims at night, that's a given. His victims are all female ranging from ten to nineteen. He cuts off their fingers with a blunt weapon. And judging by the pictures we saw of previous victims before we left for Konoha, he is into girls that aren't shinobi, probably because he knows they can't fight back."

"So?" Kazuko dragged the word out, not sure why he was reiterating information they already knew.

"So, I say when we split up with the Konoha ANBU squad to flush him out. If we can get him cornered, it'll be easy to catch him."

"Do you think he would be cornered that easily? He'll be able to sense our chakra and will stay hidden." Kazuko countered.

"Well, yes but… Uh…" Naoko stammered, scratching the back of his head. "Good point."

"I know."

"And you're modest too, great." Naoko drawled, rolling his eyes playfully.

Someone behind the duo coughed politely to get their attention and they turned around, facing the newcomers.

"Hey. You must be the couple Lord Hokage was telling us Jounin about, ne?" A dark-haired shinobi asked, a cigarette perched casually between his fingers. His partner had silver, spiky hair, his hitai-ate covering his left eye while a piece of cloth concealed the bottom half of his face.

"T-the Hokage told you about us?" Naoko asked shakily, his calm, cool self draining almost immediately. Kazuko resisted the urge to slap him upside the head and tell him to 'buck up'.

"Yeah, he said that you guys are here on your honeymoon and told us to help you out in any way we can. Congrats, by the way." The smoking ninja said, smiling kindly at the two sand shinobi.

Naoko let out the small breath he had been holding. "Oh, right. Thanks. I guess we should be going, don't you think, sweetie?" He suggested as he turned to his female companion. Kazuko just shrugged her shoulders. She noticed the masked Jounin's visible eyebrow rise slightly at her wordless reply. "Sweetie…?" Naoko urged gently.

"I guess." She answered finally, turning away to leave. She heard Naoko laugh nervously and he farewelled the ninja before falling in step with his female companion.

"Wait up," The smoker called, and Kazuko felt her 'husband' tense beside her. "If you'll be staying here a while, we should at least know each other's names, right? I'm Asuma Sarutobi and this here is Kakashi Hatake."

"Sorry," Naoko bowed in apology. "I'm Hiromasa and this is my wife, Airi."

Asuma looked at the fake couple and took a puff of his smoke, letting it out before asking, "You do have last names, don't you?"

"Ah, my apologies again. Niigata. Hiromasa and Airi Niigata." Naoko was rattled—he had never been very good at undercover work. He much preferred the anonymity that ANBU masks gave him.

"It's very nice to meet you Hiromasa, Airi. We hope you enjoy your stay, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask one of the Jounin in the village." Another smile from the smoker, while the silver haired Jounin remained silent, watching the conversation with a shrewd eye.

"We thank you for your kindness. We should be going now." Before Kazuko turned around to leave, she saw Kakashi quirk his eyebrow again. She narrowed her eyes at the Jounin slightly before deciding to drop it. No point asking him what his problem was. She didn't want to get into trouble, especially when their mission had barely begun.

After saying farewell once again, the Sunagakure couple made their way back to their apartment silently. Once there, they would make a strategy to capture the S-ranked criminal before resting and meeting up with the Konohagakure ANBU squad for their first night on the job.

* * *

**Please let me know what you think. I've got the story half written (I did once have it completed, but I lost the story and had to write it again from memory) so I will try and update periodically.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kazuko placed her ANBU mask firmly on her face after having changed into her mission outfit. She wore a black spaghetti strapped playsuit, cinched at her waist by a belt. She pulled on her knee length black boots and waited patiently for her partner to finish getting ready.

They exited their apartment and ran to the meeting site where the Konohagakure ANBU would be waiting for them.

"Good evening, sand shinobi," The ANBU in front greeted upon their arrival. "Have you had a chance to come up with a strategy for catching this criminal?"

"Yes, indeed we have." Naoko replied from behind his mask.

"Oh? What did you have in mind?"

Kazuko explained the situation. "The killer is only interested in non-shinobi females. My partner and I have devised a plan to catch him by having a civilian walk the streets late at night in order to flush him out. To do that, it would be easier to figure out what part of the village he is in–"

"Assuming that he's already here." The captain of the Konoha ANBU squad stated dryly.

"–since it would eliminate us looking for him in other parts of the village." Kazuko continued, ignoring the captain's interjection. "When he goes to attack her, we ANBU–being close by and watching her at all times–will converge on him. Criminal caught."

"How will we know where he is if we don't even know what he looks like or if he's even _in_ the village yet?" The captain asked again, his voice demanding and low.

"Well," Naoko pondered, fingering his chin slightly. His female companion rolled her eyes behind her mask at his actions; she knew it all too well. They hadn't had a chance to discuss all the finer details, and Naoko was loathe to admit he didn't know want to do next.

"We wait for him to kill someone." Kazuko finished, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"Let him kill an innocent person?" The captain shouted. "I will not have it! How _dare_ you come into this village and assume you run it, practically making orders to get an innocent citizen killed."

Kazuko growled from beneath her mask. Good thing she had self control, or she'd have sliced his tongue off already. She despised people talking down to her or her partner, _especially_ when they were here to help catch an S-ranked killer. They could have easily decided not to say anything at all and let Konoha deal with multiple unnecessary deaths in the space of a month.

Feeling his partner tense in anger, Naoko held his hands in front of his body defensively, shaking his head with a nervous laugh. "No, no, she wasn't making orders—it was just a suggestion. No one has to die during this mission." Naoko thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "I got it!" He exclaimed excitedly. "No, that'd never work." Naoko sighed and started pacing back and forth, his mind working overtime.

The ANBU captain seemed irritated by their display. "We will work that bit out later. Firstly, do you have any idea of who should act the female citizen?"

Naoko looked nervously at Kazuko, biting his bottom lip. "We do, but…"

"We have a friend in the village that is willing." Kazuko finished. "I have talked her, and she is prepared to play the part." Of course, Kazuko was talking about herself, but the Leaf shinobi weren't to know that. She had planned to use a shadow clone to stay with Naoko while her original self would stroll the streets.

The captain clapped his hands together. "Okay, then it's settled. The best places for her to wander around would be the dark alleyways, as unsavoury as that may be. But, please assure her that she will be in good hands—we won't let anything happen to her. We will begin tomorrow evening, after you have had a chance to brief her."

"Of course." Kazuko tried to say as little as possible, lest her sarcastic tone becomes apparent to the shinobi.

"We will keep an eye on her at all time, in groups of two or three to avoid the criminal from sensing our chakra. We will converge on him as soon as she raises the signal." He eyed her skeptically. "Are you sure she can handle this?

"She's done harder things, trust me." Kazuko drawled. She lowered her voice so only her partner could hear her. "Great to know I'll have a bunch of guys staring at me every night for the foreseeable future."

"Don't worry," Naoko grinned beneath his mask. "Your husband will make sure you're safe at all times."

"That doesn't instil as much confidence in me as you think it does."

Naoko chuckled softly. "Oh right, captain?" He glanced up at the ANBU captain. "If we are spotted in our Suna ANBU masks, people may get worried and question why we're here. May I ask for Konoha masks for my partner and I?"

"That seems understandable." The captain replied. "I will bring them tomorrow night. We'll meet up here again at the same time. For now, though, goodnight." Then they left, leaving behind a cloud of smoke.

"That went well." Naoko mused. He looked down at Kazuko beside him and frowned. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine." She replied coldly. Turning her back on him, she jumped off the building, making her way back to the apartment.

.

.

.

Kazuko had decided to map out the area she would be roaming that evening by herself, since her partner had chosen to sleep in. Not that she cared. Kazuko enjoyed being alone. She wanted to get familiar with all the alleyways that she may need to go down if the criminal showed up.

"Oh hey! If it isn't Airi Niigata, where's your other half today?" Kazuko turned around to see the familiar smoking Jounin… Asuma, wasn't it? A kunoichi walked beside him, her piercing red eyes striking on her face.

"Sleeping," Kazuko replied simply.

"Ah, the joys of sleeping in late." Asuma chuckled. "This is Kurenai Iuuhi, fellow Jounin and Sensei of Squad Eight. I'm the Sensei of Squad Ten." He clicked his fingers, as if he had just thought of something brilliant. "Would you like to meet our squads? We're training together today. You can watch if you'd like."

"I'm busy today, sorry." Kazuko said, turning her back on them. "I have to go."

"Okay. But remember, the offer is there whenever you feel like sitting in. We might even be able to teach you some cool ninja moves." She inwardly scoffed. _Highly unlikely._ She left the Jounin pair, continuing her quest of learning this part of the village like the back of her hand. For all she knew, she might be doing this for quite some time.

It was almost dark when she arrived back home, dinner in tow. "Ah Kazuko, I thought you'd gone AWOL or something. You disappeared on me."

"I was busy." She handed him his dinner and she took her own, beginning to eat even before she had reached the dining table.

"With what? Searching for some hot hook-ups?" Naoko waggled his eyebrow suggestively and grinned her way. Kazuko replied with a glare, making a motion with her hand that threatened to cut off his tongue.

"I'm _married_ remember, or has my husband got amnesia?" She retorted.

Naoko chuckled, amused at her bitterness. "An independent woman like you, married? I never would have guessed. Alas, I am honoured to have you as my pretend wife, Airi." He grinned again. Kazuko stood from her place at the table casually, before picking up her chair and throwing it at his face. Hard.

.

.

.

_"Do you see anything?" _Naoko asked through his microphone. It was almost midnight, and Kazuko was walking along the dark alleyway, trying to silently catch the attention of their suspected killer. Her shadow clone had stayed beside Naoko for appearances sake.

"For the fifth time, _no_! I will tell you when I do. Just keep watch above me and shut up." Kazuko hissed into her mic, frustrated with her partner's constant questioning.

Kazuko continued on her route around the streets of the south side of Konoha. Her route consisted of alleyways that were rarely used by people past nightfall, making her look like an easy target for the criminal.

Though it didn't seem like it, her route was deliberate, planned. She was leading any unsuspected suspect into a trap while they followed her. She would use this route for as long as it took, making it look as though she always takes a night stroll before heading home to bed.

Hesitating momentarily, Kazuko gazed at the figure approaching her. The lights in the street were lit but the figure was still too far away to make out the face properly. Their head was down, looking at something they were holding. As she squinted, she could make out a tuft of short silver hair. _Male._ She concluded.

Kazuko felt her heart skip a beat and adrenaline surged through her. She hadn't thought it would be this easy—this quick. But what if it was? What if it was him and, after tonight, this would all be over? Her and Naoko could be on their way back to Sunagakure tomorrow.

As the figure approached, she was able to see him more clearly. He was holding an orange book, seemingly absorbed in its contents. She recognised him as the Jounin she had met when she was with Naoko. What was his name again? …Kabashi? That seemed right. If she could just slip by quietly, he might not notice her.

Not likely.

As they passed each other, the silver haired Jounin looked up from his book, his visible eye smiling as he saw her. "Out late?" He asked casually, stopping to face her.

"Yeah," Kazuko tried not to look impatient.

"Husband not with you?"

"He wanted to get to bed early. And I like the quiet."

His eye twinkled mischievously. "Anywhere in particular you're heading?"

Kazuko shook her head in response. "Just checking out the nightlife." She debated whether to continue or not but decided to take the plunge. "You?"

The silver haired Jounin pointed over his shoulder at the way he had come and shrugged. "Felt like a stroll. It's peaceful at night." His eye smiled at her and Kazuko nodded her head in agreement.

"I should be going… It's Kabashi, right?" She asked hesitantly.

He laughed good-naturedly; his eye twinkling as he watched her confused expression. "Actually, it's Kakashi. With a k."

Kazuko fought a smile, bowing low. "My apologies, Kakashi."

"It's fine. Well, I'll see you around?"

She nodded. "I guess."

"Good. Well, good night Airi. Say hello to Hiromasa for me."

"Will do." Nodding her head one last time towards Kakashi, she continued on her late-night stroll. Not two minutes later her partner started talking again.

_"Wow, didn't know you liked to chat so much, ne?"_ He sounded amused, the smirk evident in his voice.

"Shut up, idiot. Are we done for tonight?"

_"Another round then we can head back, that alright?"_

Kazuko sighed. She may be an ANBU but she was still human, and she was more than ready for bed. "Fine. One more round is fine."

.

.

.

Blinding sun hit Kazuko in the face, making her groan and roll over in bed. They had been up until well past one that morning with no luck, and she wanted to sleep in. Knowing Naoko, he wouldn't let her do much of that.

As if on cue, Naoko popped his head in the door and grinned at the curled-up figure on the bed. "Rise and shine!" He shouted energetically, shoving his grinning face inches from hers.

Kazuko groaned in response and pushed his head away. "Go away. It's too early in the morning to be yelling." She mumbled groggily.

"On the contrary, my dear wifey, it's past noon. Now get your butt out of bed and come down for a very late breakfast." Kazuko tried to glare at her partner as she sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. "C'mon Kazuko, aren't you supposed to be adaptable? You've grown stiff." He teased.

"Shut up, idiot. You weren't the one walking around idly for hours, trying to look like an appealing victim for a psychotic killer."

"Ah, touché." Naoko chuckled, ruffling her hair like one would a little sister. "Come on, I made you pancakes and coffee, extra strong."

She sighed, draping her legs over the bed before standing on the wooden floorboards. Naoko obediently left the room when Kazuko started stripping, not at all fazed that her partner was still there.

The smell of fresh brewed coffee made Kazuko take a big, appreciative whiff of air. Nothing was better than starting your day with a nice, strong brew.

Naoko grinned at her when she walked into the kitchen, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand. "Don't get too comfy; I'm taking us out this afternoon. I found a great bookstore I thought you might like."

Kazuko raised a brow. "Why would I care?"

"Don't play that game with me. I know you like reading. Besides, if we're not seen out in public, people might get suspicious." She had to roll her eyes at his logic.

"Fine, but only for an hour. I want to get home early so I can sharpen my kunai."

Naoko grinned. "Great." He lowered his voice. "We might find you a hot so-and-so, ne?" He threw his head back, laughing at her appalled face.

"What's wrong with you? You better not try setting me up with some guy when I'm supposed to be married!" She glared, ready to pounce on him if he said anything more.

Kazuko had only been in one relationship in her life, but when that ended with a broken heart, she swore she wouldn't let herself go through that kind of pain again. Naoko knew she needed a man in her life. She was too work-orientated and serious— she needed to loosen up. As he was her best friend, Naoko deemed it necessary that he help her find happiness, and he knew that deep down, she wanted the affection that someone could give her.

Naoko laughed at her comment, holding his arms out defensively. "Never Kazuko, I was just saying, you might. Eat, then get dressed. I'll wait in the lounge for you."

* * *

_Thanks for reading chapter two. Don't worry, Kakashi and Kazuko will be seeing more of each other soon. _

_Please don't forget to R&R. :3_


	3. Chapter 3

The afternoon was warm as the couple made their way through the bustling streets, heading towards the bookstore Naoko had discovered. Kazuko was excited; she hadn't read a good book in a long time, as she was normally too busy with missions to find time to read. The bell chimed as Naoko opened the front door of the bookshop, stepping aside to let Kazuko go first before walking in behind her. She took her time, scanning the shelves slowly while reading the blurbs of books that caught her attention.

"Found something you like?" He asked, sidling up beside her.

"Uh-huh, quite a few actually." She grinned at him, a rare sight since that tragic incident happened three years ago.

Naoko had almost forgotten just how beautiful Kazuko was when she smiled. He knew that books were one of the only things that could bring out the old Kazuko in her, and he loved seeing that woman very much.

"Would you like me to buy you a few?" He asked her.

She nodded in response, already filling her arms with novels. "Yes please." Her face turned into a grimace when something caught her eye.

"What's wrong?" Naoko came to stand beside her, wondering what had made her pull such a face.

"_That_." She replied, scrunching up her nose while pointing to the 'Make-Out Paradise' series. "Those books are disgusting."

Naoko laughed, plucked the books she was holding out of her arms and headed to the counter. "Just these, please." She heard him say to the worker.

The bell chimed as someone entered the shop, but Kazuko took no note as she continued to peruse the books on display.

"You like mystery books?" Kazuko turned to see Kakashi standing beside her, his eye smiling at her.

Kazuko shrugged. "I like the suspense." _And I can relate to them, _she almost added, but stopped herself just in time. Kakashi gave her a strange look but she ignored it, turning away to continue examining the shelves. She didn't notice how he gave her a once over, his gaze lingering on her left hand, his lips pulling into a tight line.

"Airi, I got them for you. Was there anything else you wanted?" Naoko asked as he walked over to where she stood, absorbed in the blurb of an action/mystery novel. "Earth to Airi. Hello?"

She gave him a sheepish look. "No, thank you. Thanks Hiromasa, we can go now if you want."

"You're leaving?" Kakashi walked up to the duo, a book in his hand. Kazuko grimaced when she saw it, one word coming to mind. _Pervert._ Seeing her grimace, Kakashi grinned under his mask. "You don't like the Make-Out series? They're excellent books."

"For perverts, maybe." She mumbled. Looking back at her 'husband', Kazuko made a face Kakashi couldn't see. "Can we go home?"

"Of course." Naoko smiled at her before turning to the Jounin. "Kakashi, we would like to have you over for dinner one night, if that's okay with you."

Kakashi's smile seemed to widen at the invitation. "I would be delighted to have dinner at your place." He replied, his visible eye glancing at Kazuko momentarily, though the couple didn't notice.

"Great! How does Thursday sound? That will give us a couple of days to prepare for it. Is six okay for you?" Naoko ignored the glare Kazuko sent him.

"Six is perfect. I'll see you then." Naoko wrote their apartment number on a piece of paper and gave it to the silver haired Jounin before they said their goodbyes

"What the hell was that for?" Kazuko growled as they walked back to their apartment.

"What was what for?" Naoko replied innocently.

Kazuko glared at her partner. "You know what!"

Naoko chuckled, holding his arms up in front of his body. "Settle down."

"You know we work at night. We don't have time to get acquainted with the Leaf shinobi."

"Ah, don't be such a stick in the mud. We'll be fine. Besides, we don't start work until nine. Kakashi will be long gone by then."

Kazuko scoffed, not satisfied. "He better be." She mumbled, arms folded across her chest. Naoko chuckled softly, glad to see his plan was in motion.

.

.

.

As Thursday night rolled around, Kazuko's anger seemed to rise. She had a distinct feeling that Naoko might was trying to set her up, and she didn't like it one bit. Naoko had been extra cheerful since inviting Kakashi to dinner, even taking it as far as **singing** in the shower. _Yeah, he must have something up his sleeve,_ she decided.

"Honey, I'm home!" Naoko sang, laughing as he carried two bags of food into the apartment. "Here, I bought ingredients for dinner; you just have to cook it."

He wasn't even home for a minute and already she wanted to thrash him. "Me? No way! You invited the man so you can cook for him."

"But isn't that what women were put on this earth for; to cook and clean for men." Kazuko's eyes darkened and she ignored his raucous, teasing laughter as she lunged at him, landing a punch to his face.

Later, while Kazuko was cooking dinner—Naoko had forced her into it, much to her chagrin—Naoko returned to the kitchen, a bag of frozen peas still pressed against his swollen eye. "Mm, smells nice, Kazuko."

"I bet it does." She mumbled to herself. "Can you set the table then, since you're not busy doing anything?"

"I'm injured! Some crazy lady punched me in the face before."

"And if you don't set the table, she'll punch you in the face again. You don't want two black eyes, do you?" She threatened, cracking her knuckles as she turned to him.

"Okay, I'll do the table." Laughing nervously, Naoko exited the kitchen quickly, grabbing the necessary cutlery on the way out.

Outside, the sun was beginning to set and the streetlights flickered on, lighting the way for those wanting to stay out late. Inside the house, the clock ticked over to quarter past seven, irritating the female Suna ANBU immensely. Hadn't Naoko said six? Kakashi was more than an hour late! Fuming, Kazuko paced the apartment, barely resisting the urge to punch her partner in the face when he came up to talk to her.

"Relax Kazuko. I didn't think you'd be so nervous." He grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

Kazuko growled. "_He's an hour and fifteen minutes late!_ We have to start getting ready for the mission soon—we don't have time to have dinner now!"

"Hey, settle down. Maybe he just got caught in traffic. He'll be here."

"Got caught in traffic? There _is_ no traffic here! I knew this was a bad idea." She began pacing again, furiously trying to calm her anger.

Naoko chuckled, opening his mouth to say something. Before he got a word out, the doorbell rang. He raised an eyebrow at Kazuko and smirked. "What'd I tell you? He's here." Kazuko just sent him a glare as he opened the door.

The silver haired Jounin stood there, his eye smiling delightfully. "Hey. I hope I'm not too late."

.

.

.

Kazuko felt as if she'd explode any second. She had the urge to walk up to the newcomer and hit him. Hard. Instead, she forced a smile on her face when Kakashi looked her way. His eye turned upwards in a smile and he waved at her.

Naoko stood aside, letting Kakashi in before closing the door. "Dinner is ready. I'll show you to the dining room and Kazuko will bring it out for us." Ignoring his wife's angry retort, Naoko laughed and placed his hand on Kakashi's upper back, guiding him to the dining room.

Kazuko fumed as she stormed into the kitchen to plate up dinner. She could hear them having an animated conversation in the dining room, laughing occasionally. She looked at the clock, barely resisting the urge to throw something at it. It was almost _half past_. Dinner itself would take about twenty minutes, and knowing how the two seem to be getting along so great, they'd be talking for at least another half hour after that.

Kazuko finished plating up dinner and carried all three meals out to the dining room, placing a fake smile on her lips when the two males looked at her.

"Smells delicious, Airi." Kakashi complimented, his visible eye twinkling brightly as she placed his meal in front of him.

"Thanks," Kazuko replied, her fake smile tightening.

"So," Kakashi started as he eyed the couple. "How'd the two of you meet, if you don't mind me asking?"

Naoko reached over to pat Kazuko's back when she started to choke on her food. She punched her chest a couple of times before swallowing. "Sorry," She said gingerly, reaching for her glass.

Naoko smiled brightly. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you." He warned. "We were five—"

"You were five, I was eight." Kazuko corrected, sighing.

Laughing, Naoko rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, right. Our parents arranged a play date for some of the kids. Airi took one look at me from across the room, sauntered over, and punched me right in the face. We've been best friends since." Naoko finished, grinning over at his partner.

"Is that so?" Kakashi asked amusedly, his eyebrow raised.

"Unfortunately, yes." Kazuko sighed. "I should've kicked you in the balls instead; that way you wouldn't have been able to walk back over and plant one on me."

Naoko laughed and ruffled her hair. "She's a feisty one, but I wouldn't trade her for the world."

"Seems like the two of you have a strong relationship." Kakashi observed casually.

"We wouldn't last if we didn't." Kazuko mumbled, causing Naoko to laugh. She eyed Kakashi cautiously, wondering where such a comment had derived from.

As dinner progressed, Kazuko grew more and more suspicious of the silver haired Jounin. His choice of questions was strange—they weren't questions one would usually ask a married couple, especially if they had just met. She sat back, watching the two males talk, glancing at the clock every so often. At present it was half past eight.

"Is something wrong?" Kakashi asked her. "You keep looking at the clock."

"We had plans for later this evening. That's why Naoko asked you to come so early."

"My apologies for keeping you, then. It's getting late so I'll get going." Kakashi stood got up and stretched leisurely. "Thank you for the lovely meal."

"I'll escort you to the door." Naoko offered.

"Thank you. Good night, Airi." Kakashi smiled at the entrance, his eye holding a secret as he gazed at her.

Kazuko found she didn't want to know what that secret might be. "Good night, Kakashi."

Naoko entered the kitchen as Kazuko was cleaning the dishes. He waggled his eyebrows at her with a grin. "He was nice."

"And he stayed too late." she bit back. "The ANBU won't be happy if we're late."

She was right. As Naoko, Kazuko and Kazuko's clone walked towards the waiting ANBU, they could sense the irritation in the air. Once again, Kazuko was acting the civilian, wearing casual dress that she hoped would appeal to any psychotic freak out there, while her clone and Naoko wore Konoha ANBU masks, ready to start work as lookouts.

"You're late." The captain growled.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Kazuko's clone drawled sarcastically. "We were held up."

The captain glared at her. "Don't make a habit of it. Let's get to work, shall we?"

"Of course. Sorry we kept you waiting." Naoko apologized politely, always the peacemaker.

.

.

.

Kazuko sighed as she made her third round of the streets. _That speck is looking awfully familiar. _She mused, unimpressed.

It had been over a week since their dinner with Kakashi and they hadn't gotten anywhere with the mission. If the Night Demon _was_ in the village, he was either smart enough to know what they were up to or waiting for exactly the right time to kill a poor, innocent civilian. _What if we were wrong and he didn't come here after all?_ She wondered, her eyes on the lookout for anything suspicious.

She let her mind wander to her dinner with Kakashi. She hadn't seen him since that night, and she found herself thinking about him more than she would have liked.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts, Kazuko continued her rounds.

.

.

.

"Kazuko!" The combination of the hands shaking her and the loud voice was too much for her to handle. Without opening her eyes, Kazuko punched the intruder in the face. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I was sleeping." She replied, sitting up slowly to see Naoko clutching at his nose. She could see blood dripping from his fingers.

"It's bleeding!"

"Go get a tissue, cry baby."

"You're lucky it's not broken." He growled.

Kazuko pretended to shake in fear. "What are you gonna do, beat up your wife?"

Naoko left the room only to return a few minutes later, a bunch of tissues held against his nose. "I came in here to tell you that Kakashi asked us out to lunch today. He wants us to meet his squad."

"I decline."

"You can't decline. I already said yes." Naoko lifted the tissues to grin at her. "Get ready; we leave in half an hour."

* * *

**Thank you for following this story. I'm falling more and more in love with Kakashi lately and I'm enjoying getting back into this series.**


	4. Chapter 4

"So, what do you think?"

"I think they're a bunch of idiots."

"C'mon, they've got spirit."

"Doesn't mean they're not a bunch of idiots."

"I can't win with you, can I?" Naoko asked, shaking his head with a laugh.

"No one can." Kazuko replied, smirking at her partner.

The couple had arrived at the training grounds and were met by Kakashi and his students. Kazuko had instantly taken a liking to the loudmouth 'knuckleheaded ninja' as Kakashi had put it. Naruto did indeed have spirit, and she liked that. The kunoichi on the other hand, she thought, was useless. In the five minutes she had been with the team, Sakura looked at Sasuke dreamingly fifty-five times. Kazuko had counted.

Speaking of Sasuke, Kazuko had to admit that he looked strong. She had heard of the famous Uchiha clan, and he was no exception. But he was arrogant and thought he was better than everyone else. Kazuko had gotten that vibe the first time their eyes locked. She could feel it in his gaze, and she did not like it.

"Ramen?" Kakashi asked, breaking Kazuko's thoughts. They were currently sitting in Ichiraku Ramen, curtesy of Naruto's nagging.

"Beef, please." She replied.

"How long are you here for your honeymoon?" Sakura asked, eyes gleaming brightly as she stared at Kazuko.

"We haven't decided how long." Naoko replied casually with a kind smile to the young pinkette. "It's so nice here that we may end up staying permanently."

Naruto bounced in his seat beside Kazuko, an excited energy emanating from him. "Will you come watch us train while you're here? I want to show you my awesome moves!"

Kazuko couldn't help but chuckle at Naruto's enthusiasm. Naoko looked over at her, an eyebrow raised at her sudden outburst. Kazuko **_never_** laughed. "I'll be sure to come see you train, Naruto. Don't worry." She smiled at him warmly and Naruto grinned in return.

"Thanks for lunch, Kakashi." Naoko smiled, one arm around Kazuko's shoulder after they finished their lunch. "Your students are lovely."

"They like you as well." Kakashi assured, his visible eye smiling as he looked at Kazuko.

"Well, we should be going." Kazuko stated, feeling uncomfortable under Kakashi's keen gaze. "We'll see you around."

"Right, I'll see you later then." Kakashi waved goodbye to the pair as they walked off, needing to prepare for the evening ahead.

.

.

.

Kazuko groaned when they reached home, flopping onto the couch and throwing an arm over her face.

"I think he likes you." Naoko stated amusedly, the grin visible in his voice.

"Say that again and I'll _bite_ your tongue off." Kazuko warned.

Naoko laughed from the kitchen. "I'm just saying. There's no need to get defensive. Besides," He popped his head out from the kitchen and grinned at Kazuko's figure lying on the couch. "I think you like him too."

Kazuko snarled at her partner and threw a pillow at his head. He caught it and laughed, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Shut up Naoko! I'm supposed to be married! Stop being such a jerk." She flopped back against the couch, exhausted. "Besides," She mumbled. "He can't like me. He thinks we're married and liking someone else's wife is against the rules."

"Rules? There are no rules, Kazuko. He's a smart guy. He'll figure out we're not married sooner or later. I mean, we don't really act like the average newlywed couple, do we?"

Kazuko snorted. "I could've told you that."

"Then, it's settled!" Naoko exclaimed, clapping his hands together enthusiastically. "Once he realizes we aren't married, you'll be free to pursue him."

He laughed when she pounced at him and he held her at bay as her fists tried to connect with his grinning face.

.

.

.

It was a peaceful night. They were off duty for the evening but Kazuko decided to go for a walk anyway, leaving her 'husband' at home. She liked the peacefulness of the nightlife—cool air, bright stars, no people. It was something she usually took for granted in Suna. As Kazuko looked skywards here though, she found that there weren't half as many stars visible. She scowled at that.

Closing her eyes to listen to the crickets and the other night-dwelling creatures, Kazuko didn't feel the presence of someone following her. She shoved her hand through her hair and thought once again about the 'Copycat Ninja' that they'd been spending so much time with lately. They'd had lunch with the team several times now, even staying to watch them train as they'd promised to do.

Kazuko jumped when a hand touched her shoulder and she immediately went for her weapons pouch, only to realise she didn't have it on her.

"Settle down, it's just me." Kakashi's voice calmed her and Kazuko let out a breath of relief.

"You scared me, Kakashi!"

"Sorry. I was calling your name, but you must not have heard me. You're out late again."

Kazuko shrugged. "Felt like a stroll. I enjoy the peaceful nightlife. No people around to annoy me."

Kakashi chuckled. "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

She didn't know why that question suddenly made her nervous, but she wasn't one to let people know what she was thinking. Her face remained stoic and she replied with, "not at all."

They were silent for a few minutes while they walked, content enough to just be in each other's company. It was only when they reached Kazuko's street that Kakashi spoke.

"You and Hiromasa are a strange couple." His voice was low, as if he didn't want to disturb the silence around them.

Kazuko raised an eyebrow, alarmed. "You think so?"

"You're just… you seem casual with each other. Not something newlyweds are normally like." He looked over at her, trying to read her expression.

She shrugged, acting nonchalant. "We get that all the time. It's just how we are."

"Do you want to get dinner?" He asked suddenly, turning to look at her.

"At midnight?" She asked, eyebrows raised in surprised.

His eye twinkled. "Midnight snack, then?"

Kazuko laughed and gave him a warm smile. "Sorry, but Hiromasa will be worried if I'm gone too long."

They reached Kazuko's apartment and she fiddled to get the right key, turning around to face the silver haired Jounin.

Kakashi's eye softened as he held her gaze. "Another time, then?"

She nodded, surprised that she regretted saying no to his offer. "Sure, another time. Goodnight, Kakashi."

His eyes held that secret again, and it made her breath catch. "Goodnight, Airi."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Kazuko spent quite a lot of her down time with Team Seven, especially the hyperactive blond. Kazuko felt drawn to Naruto for some reason, and she felt the need to help him out, even though she knew it could blow her cover.

On this particular day, Kazuko was accompanied by Naoko. The two of them were sitting under a tree, watching the three Genin as they practised their chakra control. As usual, the raven-haired boy was cocky and confident while the blond blundered around, trying to best his teammate. Surprisingly to Kazuko, however, was that the kunoichi of the team was the one that picked things up the quickest.

"They're a good bunch, aren't they?" Naoko stated smilingly. "You've grown fond of them."

Kazuko glared at her partner, but it held no sting behind it. "I have not."

"It reminds me of when we were their age. So full of determination, yet so clueless at the same time."

"Well, you _have_ always been clueless."

Naoko nudged her shoulder. "Ha ha."

Naruto called out to the duo. "Hey, come here and I'll show you how to throw shuriken!"

Kazuko smiled inwardly but shook her head at the blond. "No thanks Naruto, not today. Someone might get hurt if I handle them."

Naruto's face fell, but he ran over to the couple and held one out. "Here, they aren't so bad. You just need to be careful."

Naoko jumped up and took it off him. "Why don't you let me have a go, eh Naruto? I'm a quick learner!"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah!"

The two idiots ran off together to practise shuriken throwing and Kazuko sighed, finally finding some quiet.

"Hey."

Or not.

Kakashi stood above the secret ANBU member, his gaze as intense as usual. "Mind if I sit?"

Kazuko shrugged. "Go for it."

Kakashi plopped down beside her, facing his team. He was silent for a few minutes, the two of them content with watching Naruto and Naoko, who was doing a pretty good job at pretending to be a bad shuriken thrower.

"Are you going to the festival?" He asked suddenly, turning to face her again.

"What festival?" Kazuko asked, not really interested.

He raised his visible eyebrow. "You don't know? The cherry blossom festival is starting two days from now. It's the biggest festival of the year."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't realize. I'm not really into festivals, but we'll probably go anyway. Hiromasa will make me."

Kakashi laughed at this, turning his head to watch said person. "Yes, he is a very lively fellow. Opposites attract, huh?"

"Yeah." Kazuko replied wearily. He said these kinds of things a lot, like he was waiting to catch her off guard. She didn't like it at all.

Kazuko stood up and moved away from the silver haired ninja. "Well, we should probably be going. We have a lot to do this afternoon." She called to Naoko before turning back to Kakashi once more. "Good luck with training them. They look like a handful."

Kakashi sighed and stood up as well. "You don't know the half of it."

Naoko arrived and the two of them said their goodbyes to Team Seven. While walking back to their apartment, Naoko grinned.

"Naruto was telling me about the cherry blossom festival in a couple of days. That'll be exciting!"

"No, it probably won't be. You know I don't like festivals."

"Ah, but Airi sweetie, we have to maintain our newlywed status. They expect us to go."

Kazuko shot him a glare. "Shut up. I know that already. Besides, the only reason I'm going to go is because it'll be a good night for the Night Demon to attack."

Naoko nodded sagely. "True, true. We better be on the lookout at all times."

"Yes Hiromasa, _dear_. No slacking off." Kazuko retorted, daring him to talk back.

Wisely, he didn't, and the two continued silently to their apartment for that evening's mission.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Festival fun coming up for our lovely couple! Please don't forget to R&R. :3**


	5. Chapter 5

The festival was soon upon them, and with it, Kazuko's darkening mood. She did _not_ like festivals.

"Sweetie, are you almost ready?" Naoko bellowed from the front door.

Kazuko glowered into the bathroom mirror. "Ask me that one more time and I'll chop your tongue off!" She hollered back.

Finally emerging from the bathroom, Kazuko glared at Naoko. She was dressed in a pale blue kimono, her hair done up in a tight bun on top of her head with stray pieces falling against her face.

Naoko waggled his eyebrows at her. "Very lovely. Now, let's enjoy the wonderful festival Konoha has prepared for us."

"Can't you just tell people I'm sick if you see them?" Kazuko knew it was a long shot, but she needed to try.

"No way. We are going to go out tonight, have a good time and maybe even catch a serial killer. Oh, and maybe you'll fall madly in love with Kakashi tonight." He added with a wink.

She blanched, too stunned to even reply. Naoko laughed at her expression and all but skipped out the front door.

Kazuko followed, slamming the door behind her.

.

.

.

The streets were much too crowded and loud for Kazuko's liking, with people shouting and jostling each other as they walked past. Naoko had insisted they hold hands to keep up their married persona, but Kazuko threatened to snap his fingers off if he so much as touched her, so he had backed off.

At least it was a clear night. The full moon would make it easier to see if she decided to take a wander through some alleyways, just in case the Night Demon was lurking about. Naoko wouldn't like it, since the ANBU squad they were assigned to wouldn't be watching her, but it was a risk she would be happy to take.

"Hey, there's Asuma and Kurenai." Naoko pointed towards a couple a short distance away, holding hands and smiling at each other as though they were the only two people around. "Huh, I didn't know they were dating."

Kazuko snorted. "That's because you're an idiot. Anyone with half a brain can tell they're together."

They continued on, not wanting to disturb the couple on what was clearly a date. They ran into Asuma's squad during their wandering, the three Genin busy playing games set up by vendors.

"Oh, hi Hiromasa, Airi." Ino Yamanaka from Team Ten waved them over to where she stood by a gaming stall. "Are you enjoying the festival?"

"Everything is lovely so far." Naoko replied, smiling back at the young girl. "What are you three up to?"

Choji straightened from his bent position in front of the stall, a bag of chips in hand. "We're trying to catch goldfish. Apparently if we catch one then we can keep it, but the nets keep breaking." He said through a mouthful of food.

"I remember this game!" Naoko exclaimed excitedly. "You just need to have a delicate touch. Here, let me try." He paid the vendor and took a net, leaning over the bowl that held half a dozen goldfish. He stuck his tongue out in concentration and placed the net in the bowl, carefully moving it to scoop up a fish. It startled and darted away, breaking the flimsy net in the process.

"What a drag." Shikamaru sighed from behind them. "Not even adults are any good at this."

Naoko flushed at the insult and paid the vendor more money. "Hey! That was just my first go. I'll get it this time."

He didn't.

Neither did he get it the time after that. Or the time after that.

Soon, the young trio got bored and wandered off, Choji complaining about needing food. Kazuko waited behind her partner, watching as he became more and more frustrated with the game.

"Why don't you give up already?" She insisted, arms folded against her chest impatiently.

Naoko shot her a glare. "And let those kids make fun of me? No way!"

Kazuko sighed. "You're not getting any better, and they're gone now. Let it go."

"You have a go then." He shoved the net into her hand and stepped back, indicating for her to take his place.

"I really don't—"

"We're not leaving this spot until you have a go."

Resigned, Kazuko stepped up to the bowl and put the net in. She didn't see the point in this, but Naoko was pouting so the least she could do was comply with his wishes.

"How did you _do _that? And on your first go too?" Naoko's eyes bulged out of his head when Kazuko raised the net, a goldfish safely inside. The vendor congratulated her and placed the fish in a bag filled with water, tied it, and handed it back.

She turned to Naoko and held out the fish. "I don't want it, Naoko. You hold it."

But Naoko wasn't listening. His eyes were glued to the fish, his glare heightening the longer he stared at it. "That's it! I'm not leaving this stall until I catch one!"

Kazuko rolled her eyes at her partner. "I'm not hanging around while you do that." She told him. "And take the fish already, I don't want it."

Naoko shook his head, refusing to touch the bag. "No way. You won it, so you carry it. I'll stay here and get my own. I'll meet up with you later." He took several coins out of his pocket and slammed them on the table, ready to play again.

Kazuko knew he wouldn't leave until he caught a fish—which could take hours—and she refused to wait around. She said goodbye to her partner before making her way through the crowds once more. She may as well do something, now that she was here. Kazuko lifted the bag until it was at eye level, watching as the small creature darted to and fro in the water. "I'm sorry it turned out like this, little guy. I'll find someone to give you to soon. But first, I need food. I'm starving."

.

.

.

All the lines for food were long, and Kazuko was too impatient to wait in one of them. Patience had never been her strong point, something the people around her often pointed out.

Since food was clearly off the table for the time being, Kazuko continued her stroll, watching the crowds as they passed her. She spotted a family enjoying the festival together, the little girl riding atop her father's shoulders, and Kazuko's heart squeezed at the sight. That was her, once upon a time, before her life was upended forever. She once had a loving family, once knew what it felt like to be cared for. But that was a lifetime ago.

"If it isn't Airi. Where's Hiromasa?" Kazuko turned her head towards the voice, recognizing it instantly.

Kakashi walked towards her, his visible eye smiling. He wore a dark grey and black kimono, with a mask to match. "Hello Kakashi. He's busy trying to catch a fish. Team Ten hurt his pride, and he refuses to leave until he's succeeded."

Kakashi laughed at the story. He noticed the bag in her hand and pointed to it. "Who won this little guy, then?"

"Me, of course." She sent him a smile, her sad memories forgotten. She felt relaxed and content in his presence, and she realized that she had been hoping to see him tonight.

His visible eye cocked at her statement. "Of course." He sounded amused. "Where are you heading?"

"I wanted to eat, but all the lines are too long, so I've just been wandering around." She replied with a shrug.

Kakashi held up a brown paper bag and grinned beneath his mask. "You're in luck. I just bought some dumplings, and I'm willing to share."

The couple made their way to a nearby bench and sat down. Kazuko wasn't sure if it was because she was wearing an outfit she wasn't used to, or if it was the atmosphere of the festival, but she was suddenly very nervous about being so near to him. He sat close to her, his leg pressed against hers, and she blushed at the heat coming from his body.

"Here," the silver haired Jounin held out a dumpling for her to take. He gazed at her from the corner of his eye, noting the way her white hair seemed to shine in the moonlight. "You look very beautiful tonight, by the way."

He said it so casually that it took Kazuko a few seconds to register his words. She turned sharply to look at him, her eyes wide and a dark blush on her cheeks. "T-thanks." His intense gaze was too much for her to handle and she turned her face away, taking a bite of her food to distract her from the man beside her.

"Do you dance, Airi?"

Kazuko choked on the dumpling, unprepared for the question. "Dance? Me?" She squeaked, cursing herself for being so flustered. She didn't know why this man affected her so much.

His eye was twinkling in amusement as he watched her. "Yes, you. There will be some dancing in the main square soon, and I wondered if you would like to join me for it?"

"I-I-I," _just spit it out Kazuko, you idiot. _She scolded herself._ You're making a complete buffoon out of yourself. _She cleared her throat and started again. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

He raised his eyebrow again but looked unfazed. "Why not? It's not wrong for two friends to dance together, is it?"

"But, I'm _married._" She stressed the word, hoping that would be enough. The thought of dancing with Kakashi made her more nervous than an S-ranked mission.

"Are you?" His words were so soft that Kazuko wondered if she had imagined them. When she gave him a quizzical look, Kakashi just smiled from under his mask and said, "I'm sure Hiromasa wouldn't mind."

Kazuko had never blushed this much in her life. She took another bite of her dumpling, allowing herself time to calm down before she answered him. "Fine, I'll dance with you. But just a heads up, I'm not very good at it."

"That's perfectly fine by me." His eye shone with warmth as he looked at her, causing her blush to rise with renewed vigour. She turned to face the crowd and the couple finished eating their dumplings in companionable silence.

.

.

.

The hand holding hers was large and warm, and it engulfed her smaller one almost entirely. Kazuko stared at their entwined fingers as Kakashi led her through the throng of people towards where people were gathering to dance and wondered if it always felt this nice to hold someone's hand.

After they had finished their dumplings, Kakashi had bundled up the rubbish and threw it in a nearby bin before grabbing her free hand so casually it was as if he did so on a regular basis. Kazuko was too stunned to get mad at him for not asking her permission first, and she secretly enjoyed the feeling of his hand in hers. She just hoped they didn't run into Naoko; he would have a field day if he saw them together like this.

They made it to the dance-floor just as the music started up—a slow tune that was perfect for couples who wanted to hold each other close. Kakashi turned to face Kazuko, his eye expressing an emotion she wasn't used to and couldn't quite figure out.

"This might be a little awkward with the fish." He stated with amusement, pointing at the bag she still held onto. He smiled and stepped closer to her—completely in her personal space—and wrapped his free hand around her waist. He drew her into him so that they were chest to chest and move their joined hands to rest by their side. Kazuko hesitantly placed her fish-holding hand on his back.

He started swaying, not quite what one would call dancing, but Kazuko didn't mind. Her face was flaming again at their proximity, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the feel of his strong arm around her, or the way he rested his head atop hers, humming along to the song softly as they moved together.

The tenseness in her shoulders from when he first pulled her to him eased slowly, and she found herself leaning more and more into him as the song progressed, until her head rested against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

One song turned into three, and still Kazuko had no plans of letting go. She felt content in his arms—a feeling she hadn't experienced in a very long time— and she wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible.

Kakashi's hand left her waist and trailed upwards until he was cupping her cheek, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear in the process. Kazuko lifted her face to meet his gaze at the gesture, only to see him staring at her with an intensity she had never seen before.

"Airi," he whispered her name, as though it was something to be revered. He tucked a finger under her chin to keep her from turning away as he lowered his head, eye flicking to her lips.

Kazuko's heart pounded in her chest, her eyes widening at the same time his closed. Part of her screamed to finish closing the gap, while the more sensible side of her reminded her that she was supposed to have a husband and kissing another man while married was wrong.

"What are you two doing?" Kazuko sprang away from Kakashi, her eyes like saucers as she gaped at the newcomer.

"U-um, Naruto. Hi." She said weakly, fully aware that her entire face was on fire.

"Kakashi-Sensei, what do you think you're doing to Airi?" Sakura glared at her teacher, her hands on her hips from her position beside the blond. Despite Kazuko's flustered state, she noticed that the raven haired Genin wasn't with them.

Kakashi was sensible enough to look chagrined and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he faced his pupils. "Naruto, Sakura. Hello. Where's Sasuke?"

"Don't change the subject, Sensei." It surprised Kazuko that Sakura was angry at her teacher, and not the woman who was supposed to be married to another man. Maybe Sakura didn't think it appropriate to berate someone she barely knew.

"Hey, what's that?" Naruto pointed at the bag Kazuko held and she silently thanked him for his ability to be distracted so easily.

Kazuko held the bag out for him to see. "It's a goldfish. I won it tonight, but I don't really want it. Would you like to look after it, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes lit up and he grabbed the bag from her, the fish sloshing around inside. "Can I? Thanks, Airi!" He proceeded to tell the couple what he had been doing during the festival; how he had run into Sakura and forced her to go along with him as he played games at the stalls. The young blond grinned, his eyes glancing to the pinkette beside him shyly every so often during his speech. Kazuko felt bad for the kid; he was clearly crushing hard, but the young girl was not interested.

A sudden scream pierced through the noise of the festival, so faint that most people wouldn't have noticed. But Kazuko did, and her head snapped towards the direction of the sound immediately, her blood chilling at what she knew it meant.

She glanced quickly between the three members of Team Seven, noting that Kakashi's head was also turned to where the noise had originated from. "I need to go." She told them, backing away from the trio. She had to get home and retrieve her mask before she could rendezvous with the ANBU squad, who were no doubt already on the move. She cursed herself for not finding room on her person to put it, like Naoko had. "Take care of the fish, okay Naruto?" She turned and ran, ignoring the voices that called out to her.

All thoughts of near kissing and embarrassment vanished from her mind as she ran. This was what they had been waiting for. Tonight, she would finally come one step closer to the Night Demon.

* * *

**This chapter is probably my favourite so far. I've been waiting for them to spend some more one-on-one time together, so I really enjoyed writing the festival scenes. I just hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. :)**

**Sorry for the delay in updating. Turns out home confinement has kind of made me unmotivated to write. But I'll try and be better. **

**R&R's are appreciated and welcomed. Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

The festival noises faded into the distance the further Kazuko ran, the streetlights casting shadows on the quiet roads. She pumped her legs as fast as they could go, cursing Naoko for talking her into going out tonight. If she had stayed home, she could have been at the victim's apartment by now.

Her house was dark when she finally arrived home. Kazuko raced to her bedroom to collect her ANBU mask without bothering to turn on the lights. She knew exactly where she was going. She decided she should also change as well; the kimono she wore was cumbersome and hard to move in.

A noise sounded from the living room and Kazuko froze, her senses heightening. She knew it wouldn't be Naoko—he would have announced his entry or at least turned the lights on if he didn't think she was home. Kazuko had left the front door unlocked, knowing she wouldn't be long and not expecting anyone to follow her in.

Kazuko grabbed her weapons pouch and tiptoed to the bedroom door, peering into the darkened room beyond. She could sense someone in there, and they weren't friendly. Before she could take a step into the lounge, a hand was around her neck and a strong force pushed her back against the bed. She grunted in surprise and pulled out a kunai before thrusting it into the perpetrator's back, just below his shoulder blade.

The man swore and tightened his grip on the kunoichi. Kazuko could see a snarl on his lips, the light from the moon filtering in and casting shadows on his face. She struggled against him, wrapping her legs around his body and pushing the kunai even deeper into him in the hopes that he would loosen his hold. He didn't, and Kazuko could feel her power start to drain from her body, as if he was literally sucking the life out of her.

"You think you could trick me?" The intruder spat, his fingers tightening even more around her neck and completely cutting off her airway. For the first time ever, Kazuko started to fear for her life. "Pathetic. I saw through your little ruse the moment it was made." His lips curled up in a sneer and he stroked a finger down her cheek. "You have made my life here quite difficult. I'm going to take my time with you, I think."

"I'm going to kill you!" Kazuko's voice was barely a whisper, but she still managed to make it sound menacing, and she glared at the criminal before her. She didn't know how he had figured it out, but she wouldn't let him go now that he was here, in front of her.

The Night Demon laughed in response. "Brave words for a dying girl." He moved his face until it was directly in front of hers, and Kazuko could feel his vile breath on her skin each time he exhaled. She knew she had to get out of his hold and counterattack, but the fact that he was literally pulling the power from her body wasn't helping. She had to distract him, to somehow release his hold on her neck so she could move again.

"Airi!" The voice sounded from the kitchen, loud and worried. Kazuko felt the hand pull away from her neck and instantly the man vanished, retreating after realizing they had company.

The voice called to her again and she struggled to sit up, her body slow to respond despite her internal monologue telling her to go after the criminal. She tried to yell for the newcomer to follow him, but her voice came out raspy and she ended up having a coughing fit. She cursed herself for being so caught off guard, for letting him sneak into her home so easily. She should have taken more precautions.

Kakashi appeared in the doorway and turned the light on, eyes widening at seeing the dishevelled woman on the bed. He had moved his hitai-ate to the top of his head and his left eye glowed red as he took her in.

"Airi, are you okay?" He asked, kneeling before her, his hands grasping her arms as his eyes wandered over her body, checking for injuries.

"I'm okay." Kazuko replied, coughing from the pain in her throat. "I said I'm okay, Kakashi." She repeated when he didn't letup, his hands roaming over her body to make sure she wasn't injured. She grabbed his hands and placed them on her lap, looking into his eyes reassuringly. "More importantly, why are you here?"

He didn't look reassured and he held her gaze with anxious eyes. "I got worried when you rushed off. And then I heard a woman was killed in the village and I wanted to make sure you were okay." Kakashi squeezed her hands, his eyes imploring. "Did he hurt you?" He noticed the bruise already forming on her neck and his gaze darkened, fury burning beneath them. His hands moved to her neck and he traced the marks with touches so feather-light it almost took Kazuko's breath away.

"I'm fine, Kakashi. Really." Despite her words, tears sprang to her eyes, surprising her. She wasn't one to cry, and she didn't know why the urge suddenly hit her. All she knew was the relief she felt upon seeing him in front of her, his worried eyes staring into hers.

Kakashi had his arms wrapped around her in an instant, and he drew her close to him, hands trailing up and down her back soothingly as she fought to keep the tears at bay. She was an ANBU member; she had many near-death experiences. She was _not _going to cry over this one.

"Hey, everyone was wondering where you were tonight Kazu—oh." Naoko cut himself off as he walked into the bedroom, shocked at the sight that greeted him. "What's going on?"

"Airi was attacked." Kakashi answered. He stood up and moved to the side, giving Kazuko space and allowing her 'husband' a chance to see her properly.

"Attacked? By whom?" Naoko rushed to her side, checking her over much like Kakashi had. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?"

Kazuko waved his concern away, already feeling the strength slowly return to her body. "I'm fine. It was nothing." Now that she was starting to feel herself again, all of this coddling seemed over the top, and Kazuko just wanted it to stop.

"It was nothing?" This time it was Kakashi who had spoken, and he gave the white haired kunoichi an incredulous look. "You could have died!"

"And yet, here I am." She tried to defuse the situation with humour but neither of the them even cracked a smile at her words. She sighed "Look, fellas. I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about. Kakashi got here just in time and scared him off."

"What if he tries again?" Kakashi asked, not convinced.

Kazuko shook her head. "I'm sure he won't." That was a lie. The criminal knew who she was. Hell, he had known their plans from the beginning! She didn't think he would leave her alone after being so rudely interrupted tonight.

Kakashi glared at her, unimpressed by her bravado. "I'm not willing to take that chance." He told her. "Team Seven will be your bodyguards until this criminal is caught."

"_What? _Look, I appreciate the concern, Kakashi, but I'll be fine." Kazuko could _not_ have a bunch of Genin looking after her—not when she finally knew what the Night Demon looked like. She was one step closer to finding him.

Naoko placed a hand on hers. "Kakashi's right. It's too dangerous for you right now."

Kazuko shot him a look so heated he flinched, his hand recoiling from hers. "I'm _fine_." She insisted.

Naoko stood up and motioned for Kakashi to follow him into the living room, leaving Kazuko alone with her anger. He didn't need to ask who had attacked her; one look from her had told him everything. Her eyes had told him all he needed to know, and Naoko knew she would step up her efforts to find him after this incident. She would stop at nothing to hunt down the man who had murdered her sister, and Naoko knew that doing so could get her killed. Better to have a bodyguard to keep her in line, so she wouldn't run off and do anything reckless.

.

.

.

Kazuko was sitting in Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto, his short legs swinging happily on the stool as he slurped up his meal. The team had made it their mission to keep her safe for the past week, much to Kazuko's chagrin. They were doing it because they believed she was in danger, so she couldn't fault them for being protective.

What she could get mad about, was how on-board Naoko was with the situation. When she had tried to get him to persuade Kakashi out of bodyguard duty, he had flatly refused. He said it would be a good idea for now, and that he would rendezvous with the Konoha ANBU alone in order to figure out their next move.

"Hey Airi," Naruto piped up after he had finished his second bowl. "I'm going to meet up with the others to train after this, is that okay with you?"

Kazuko smiled at the blond. She really did have a soft spot for him. "Of course, Naruto. I'll follow you wherever you need to go."

Naruto smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown. "I'm sorry you have to hang out with us. I know you're supposed to be here on your honeymoon."

"You don't need to apologize, Naruto." She told him with a pat to his back. Kazuko had spent a lot of time with the blond Genin the past week, preferring his company over the moody raven-haired male. She was getting used to Sakura, having had to spend some time with the young girl, and Kazuko realized that her first impression of the pinkette had been wrong. When she wasn't fawning over Sasuke, Sakura was a decent person, and Kazuko could tell she would turn into a fine kunoichi. Still, she much preferred hanging out with Naruto, and she often wanted to help him train, though she knew that would blow her cover.

The pair quickly finished eating and they made their way to the training grounds, Naruto chatting Kazuko's ear off the whole way. He was always so excited when it was time to train, and Kazuko enjoyed seeing his enthusiasm as he told her about everything he was learning.

.

.

.

Kazuko sat against the base of an old oak, watching Team Seven train together. Kakashi had to leave for a while but had instructed his students to keep training until he got back. He was still trying to teach them about teamwork, since Naruto and Sasuke seemed to believe that they would better working alone than together during missions.

Watching Naruto was always amusing. He was so passionate about everything he did, and he always gave his best when training, despite the constant complaints.

He caught her eye and trotted over to where she was seated, a huge grin on his face. Kazuko handed him a bottle of water as he sat next to her, and he took it with a word of thanks.

"You aren't bored, are you?" He asked her after taking a sip.

Kazuko shook her head with a smile. "No. I'm enjoying watching the three of you train together." She watched him, her head cocked to one side as her mind battled whether or not she should say something. "Naruto, can you keep a secret?"

He almost spilled the water he had been drinking in his haste to look at her, eyes lit up in excitement. "A secret? What kind of secret?"

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone. This is really important, Naruto." She gave him a stern look, emphasizing the seriousness of what she was about to say.

Naruto nodded his head vigorously, his sky-blue eyes fixed on her. "I promise! I won't tell a soul!"

"Okay." She took a moment to get her thoughts together. She knew she shouldn't say anything at all, but Kazuko was tired of keeping this a secret from everyone she was starting to care about. "It's about me and Hiromasa."

The blond's eyes widened. "Are you pregnant?"

Kazuko choked, not expecting that comment. "No, I am not _pregnant! _Look, what I am about to tell you is top secret, okay?" Naruto nodded and held his breath, shuffling his body closer in anticipation. "We are not here on our honeymoon. We are ninjas from the Sand village, and we've come here to track a criminal."

"No way!" Kazuko hadn't seen someone look so excited in a long time, and she laughed at his reaction. "That's so cool!"

"But it's a secret, remember? You can't tell anybody." She reiterated, putting a finger to her lips.

"Does Kakashi Sensei know?"

Kazuko shook her head. "No, Kakashi doesn't know. The only person in the entire village that knows is Lord Hokage."

"Why did you tell me, then?" He asked, eyes furrowed in confusion.

"Because," Kazuko bumped her shoulder against his and gave him a grin. "I trust you. And, to be honest, I kind of wanted to tell someone the truth. Besides," she added with a wink. "Now I'll be able to teach you some cool moves."

"What are the two of you whispering about so enthusiastically?" Kakashi asked, appearing in front of the couple.

She knew he wouldn't have heard anything, but Kazuko still felt nervous at his sudden appearance. Still, she let a small smile grace her lips as she looked up at the silver haired Jounin. "We were just discussing Naruto's new training routine." She replied without missing a beat. "He is very excited to have a break from missions because it means he can train more with his teammates."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at her, as if he didn't believe her words, but he let it slide. "If you are so excited to train, Naruto, why aren't you out there with the others?"

Naruto scrambled to his feet, spouting apologies before running to his teammates, glad to be away from his sensei's shrewd gaze. Kazuko watched him go, proud of him for not blurting something out that would have made them both look guilty.

Kazuko smiled warmly at Kakashi as he took Naruto's spot beside her, and the two made easy conversation as they watched his students train in the distance.

* * *

**As always, reviews are welcomed. Thanks for reading. :3**


	7. Chapter 7

"Is Hiromasa okay with us monopolizing your time so much?" Kakashi asked one day on Kazuko's second week having bodyguards. "He is welcome to join us, if he would like."

"Thank you, Kakashi, but he's fine. You don't have to worry about him so much." Kazuko couldn't tell him that Naoko was spending his days with the Konoha ANBU, since they were unable to go out during the evenings anymore.

Kakashi eyed her shrewdly, as he always did when they talked about her and Naoko's relationship. She knew he was suspicious of them, but until he came out and asked her directly, Kazuko was reluctant to volunteer any information.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Kazuko asked. Kakashi had picked her up early that morning, alone, having given his Genin the day off, and had told her that they were spending the day out. He had taken her to visit the bookstore and had made a stop at where Asuma was training his students before the two of them headed to lunch.

Kakashi was now leading Kazuko to some unknown location, his hand fit snugly in hers as they walked along the busy streets. She had thought about telling him off when he first grabbed hold of her, but she didn't really want him to let go, so she stayed silent.

"It's a secret." He turned to look at her, his eye sparkling with mischief, his grin visible even behind his mask.

Kazuko sent him a half-hearted glare. "I don't like secrets."

"Neither do I." He raised his eyebrow in reply before turning back to the path in front of them.

They walked in silence then, Kazuko feeling a stab of guilt at his words. She wanted to tell him—had almost done so on a couple of occasions already today—but she knew she shouldn't. She had no idea how he would take it. Would he be mad at being lied to? Would he accept the truth, or would he feel betrayed and refuse to see her anymore? The thought of him not wanting to see her anymore hurt more than she cared to admit.

"You okay, Airi?" Kakashi asked, his face close to hers, his eyebrow drawn down in concern. She realized he had been talking for some time now, but she hadn't been listening.

Kazuko's breath hitched at him suddenly being so close. "Yeah, I'm fine." She looked around at their surroundings and noticed they had come to a stop outside what looked like… "Are we here to watch a movie?"

Kakashi leaned back and grinned through his mask. "I figured you must be getting sick of sitting around watching the kids train every day, so I thought a movie might be nice."

She started to smile, thinking a movie might not be a bad idea after all, but then noticed the movie on display, her eyebrows rising to her hairline as she read the title. "And you thought 'Make-Out Violence' would be a good movie to see?" She asked, slowly turning to look at him. "Are you sure this was for me, or is it that _you _want to watch it?" He knew she hated his perverted book series, so surely he knew she wouldn't want to watch the movie adaptation of it.

"It just came out and I haven't had the chance to see it yet." He admitted, hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kazuko laughed, unable to contain herself. "Why am I not surprised? Kakashi, you can be such a child someti—um, what are you doing?" She squeaked when his hand came up to rest against her cheek, his visible eye soft as he watched her.

He rubbed this thumb across her cheek, a soft caress that made her knees weak. "You're even more beautiful when you smile." His voice was a low rumble and he slowly moved his face closer to hers, eye flicking down to gaze at her lips.

Kazuko's heart sped into overdrive at his nearness. "Kakashi," she whispered, watching as his other hand lifted, a finger slipping under his mask as he prepared to lower it. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?" He challenged, moving closer still.

"Because I'm…" Kazuko couldn't bring herself to say 'married'. She was sick of lying to this man, who she had come to care about a lot more than she had wanted to.

Just when she thought Kakashi was about to kiss her—something she wanted more than anything in that moment in time—he stepped back and dropped his hand to his side. He turned around and cleared his throat.

Kakashi started making his way to the building. "Come on, it will start soon." He told her without looking back.

Kazuko's heart dropped when he didn't reach for her hand, and she thought, for the umpteenth time, that maybe she should just come clean to him, consequences be damned.

.

.

.

The movie had been cringe-worthy, made worse by the fact that Kazuko was much too aware of Kakashi sitting next to her. Every shift, every movement from the silver haired Jounin, had made Kazuko jump in her seat.

The walk home was silent. Kazuko didn't know what to say, not after their near kiss and that over-the-top romantic movie. She walked a couple of paces behind him, feeling awkward.

"I hope you enjoyed your day today, Airi." Kakashi said upon dropping her back home, eye not quite meeting hers.

The fact that he wasn't even looking at her now was the final straw. "Kakashi, wait." Kazuko reached out and grabbed his hand with both of hers, unwilling to let him go. She had spent a lot of time during the movie weighing the pros and cons of whether or not she should tell him her secret, and she had finally come to a conclusion. Even if he hated her for it, she wanted him to know.

He eyed her cautiously, his gaze flicking to their joined hands before settling back on her face. "What is it?"

She pointed to the door behind her and bit her lip before asking: "Do you want to come inside for a bit? Hiromasa won't be home until later."

"Do you think that's wise?" He replied, brow raised in question.

"To tell you the truth, probably not. But there's something I want to—no—I _need_ to tell you. Please, Kakashi." She set imploring eyes on him and he sighed, defeated.

She pulled him inside behind her and maneuvered her way to the couch, tugging on his hand so that he sat down beside her. Kazuko's heart was in overdrive, her face hotter than a kiln, but she still managed to look him in the eye. She needed to see his reaction when she told him.

After minutes of silence, Kazuko realized she didn't know where to start. She became flustered under his unwavering stare, lost for words. Kakashi took her hands in his and rested them on the couch between their bodies. "If it is too difficult for you, you don't need to tell me." He assured her.

Kazuko shook her head. "No. I'm sick of lying to you, Kakashi." She decided the best place to start was at the beginning. She took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of a criminal known as the Night Demon?"

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at her question. "The Night Demon?" Kazuko waited patiently as he searched his mind for the name. "Yes, I think I have. I believe he is a notorious criminal, is he not?"

"Yes, that's correct. He has been active on and off for quite a few years, and he has slowly been making his way through all the five major villages, raping and killing innocent women. A couple of years ago, my sister was visiting her fiancé in Iwagakure at the same time the Night Demon was there. She wasn't a shinobi and was only planning on staying a short time to meet his family. The Night Demon preys on civilian women, and apparently my sister was the perfect target for him."

Kakashi moved closer, his eye watching with a sad understanding as she struggled to keep a leash on her emotions. She hadn't planned on telling him about her sister, but now that she had started, she couldn't seem to stop.

She cleared her throat, eyes leaving his to stare at the clock that hung on the wall behind his head. "Just like his MO, the Night Demon raped and killed her, leaving her body to be found by her fiancé later that evening."

Tears fell to her lap and Kazuko tried to blink them away. Kakashi's hands cupped her face, his thumbs brushing the tears as they trailed down her cheeks. "I am so, so sorry, Airi." He whispered before engulfing her in a hug.

She stayed like that, letting him whisper comforting words while she cried against his chest. She hadn't told anyone that story before—not even her ANBU comrades. The only reason Naoko knew of it was because he had been there the day the Kazekage informed her of the news.

Finally, Kazuko pushed away from him, rubbing the backs of her hands over her eyes. "Sorry, Kakashi. I didn't mean to get so emotional on you."

His gaze was so kind that Kazuko felt the overwhelming desire to crawl into his arms and stay there. "Don't apologize. I'm sure you've been bottling those emotions up for a long time now."

She sent him a watery smile, unsurprised by his wisdom. "You know me so well."

He chuckled in response, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek soothingly. "I really appreciate that you trust me enough to tell me this, Airi, but I don't really understand. What does the Night Demon have to do with you lying to me?"

Right. _This _was what she needed to tell him. "You see, the Night Demon recently arrived in Konoha, and he is the reason I'm here. Hiromasa and I aren't really newlyweds; we are members of Sunagakure's ANBU and we have followed the Night Demon to your village in order to apprehend him. Also," Kazuko continued, "we came to Konohagakure under false names. My name is really Kazuko, and my partner is Naoko."

Kakashi didn't say anything, just stared at her blinkingly, his mind processing this new information. She cringed, wondering if she had told him too much too soon. "I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner, Kakashi." She said, trying to make him understand. "This is a classified mission. It wouldn't do your village any good if people were to find out there's a serial killer on the loose." Still, he remained silent. Kazuko bit her lip, worried she had made a terrible mistake. "Kakashi, please say something."

"I guess that means I can finally do this." Before she could ask him what he meant, Kakashi closed the distance between them, his hand on the back of her neck and drawing her closer as he pressed his lips to hers. His mouth was soft, and she melted into the kiss immediately, her hands reaching up to curl against his shirt. All too soon, he pulled away, his mask back in place before Kazuko had a chance to peek at what was underneath. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that." He breathed, eye flicking to stare at her lips, as if that one kiss hadn't been enough.

Kazuko's heart hammered in her chest, and she thrilled at the realization that Kakashi wasn't mad at her for keeping such a huge secret. She watched him, still looking at her lips and laughed. "I'm sure I can imagine."

Kakashi settled his gaze back on her and brought his hands up in order to cup her face. "Thank you for telling me. I understand that must have been a very difficult decision for you to make."

Kazuko shrugged, acting as though it had not been the most stressful thing she had ever done in her life. "Well, I figured that you had it half worked out, anyway."

"Not quite true. I had it seventy-five percent worked out." He grinned. "I knew you and Hirom—um, Naoko, couldn't be married. And the way you hold yourself betrays the fact that you're a mere civilian."

"Well," she shook her head, smiling. "I suppose you are a very astute man."

"Very astute." He whispered in agreement, moving in closer again, one hand ready to pull his mask down.

"Honey, I'm home!" Naoko walked through the front door, announcing his presence in his usual sing-song voice. He spotted the couple on the couch, much too close together to be involved in anything innocent. He blinked, eyes darting from one person to the other. "Uh, hello. Is this where I get mad at another man for touching my wife?"

Kazuko rolled her eyes at her partner, but she moved out of Kakashi's reach, a blush covering her cheeks at getting caught red handed. "That won't be necessary, Naoko. He knows."

To his credit, Naoko looked shocked at hearing her say his real name. Then, when her words sank in, he grinned and rushed over to them. "What? Kakashi, she told you? Does that mean that you two are," he eyed the both of them, waggling his brows, a sly grin spreading over his face. "you know?"

Her blush increased tenfold and she stood up, punching Naoko in the stomach as she walked past him. "Don't say such stupid things, idiot." She headed towards her bedroom, needing some time alone to cool down.

* * *

**Enjoy the sweetness while it lasts. Mwahahaha. As always, reviews are most welcomed and enjoyed. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

They couldn't date, obviously. Kazuko was still undercover as a married woman, so it would look extremely odd if she started dating another man. Not that Naoko hadn't tried to persuade her to do just that. He was constantly inviting Kakashi over before making some lame excuse as to why he had to leave, leaving the two of them alone in the house. Kazuko didn't appreciate his efforts and she told him so very forcefully, with her fists. Multiple times.

"Jeez, Kazuko. I'm just trying to help a sister out." He whined after one such attempt. "Since you can't date openly in public, the least I can do is let you have the house to yourself."

Kazuko groaned. "You're an idiot, Naoko. What would people think if they saw Kakashi come into our home and you leave a few minutes later? Do you want to start a scandal halfway through our mission?"

"Come on. It's not like you can be all affectionate together out in public now that you're official. All you do is watch his team train. Doesn't that get boring?"

"We are not official," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "This is the worst time to start a relationship, when we're so close to catching the Night Demon."

Naoko looked almost sheepish and he scratched his cheek, averting his gaze from his partner's. "We're not _that _close to catching him," he admitted. "We haven't been able to find any good leads. Even with your description of what he looks like, we haven't had much luck. For all we know, he has already left this village."

Kazuko didn't believe that. She had a feeling the Night Demon wasn't going to leave until he finished what he had started the night of the festival. Which didn't bother her at all. _Just try it, jackass._ "Don't worry. I'm sure the ANBU will find something useful soon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready. Kakashi is picking me up and we're going to have ramen with the team before they start their training."

.

.

.

Kakashi took more liberties with Kazuko now that he had confirmed her feelings. She couldn't get mad at him like she did with Naoko, but she still didn't like him being overly affectionate. Especially in public, with his team around. They may be kids, but she wouldn't put it past at least two of them figuring out what was going on.

Somehow, Kakashi had managed to eat his food without anyone seeing him take his mask off, and he sat quietly while he waited for the others to finish eating, his hand clasped with Kazuko's under the table. She had tried to extract herself from his grip, but he refused to let go, squeezing her hand tighter and sending her a bright smile.

Naruto bickered with Sasuke about something—Kazuko had realized that zoning them out was the best option for her sanity—and Sakura continuously shot frustrated glances at the pair. Or, rather, at Naruto, Kazuko guessed. She didn't think the young Genin could be annoyed at Sasuke even if she tried.

Kakashi leaned close to her, his face bare inches from her ear, and Kazuko glanced up in alarm at the ramen owner—Teuchi was his name, she remembered. His eyes shot away from hers the moment she looked at him and he fiddled with something on the bench as he tried to ignore them.

"Naoko tells me that you don't want me visiting anymore," Kakashi whispered. He sounded sulky and Kazuko's lips twitched at the knowledge.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she replied just as softly, refusing to turn her head to face him. He was so close that their noses would touch if she did.

"You can always come to my place."

Kazuko was glad she didn't have a mouthful of food, since she would have spit it out at his comment. "That would be worse," she hissed, face reddening. "What would people think if a married woman entered the home of a single man?"

He huffed and sat back in his seat, finally giving her space to breathe. Kazuko glanced at the three Genin, but they were still arguing over something, Sakura having joined in, and she was currently shouting at Naruto, defending Sasuke against the blond.

She felt bad, although she knew she shouldn't. Kakashi was smart enough to know why they couldn't openly date—or date at all, for that matter. Not yet, anyway. Which was a weird thing for Kazuko to think. She hadn't wanted to date anyone after her cheating ex-boyfriend had broken her heart. Instead, she had decided long ago that she would remain single for the rest of her life. Then Kakashi had come along and teared down her walls, and Kazuko realized she didn't want to be alone anymore. She was able to see a future with the ridiculous and charming Jounin, and she longed for it to come true.

They finished lunch and the three Genin continued to argue all the way to the training grounds. Kakashi breathed a long-suffering sigh, but his eye twinkled as he watched his students, and Kazuko knew that he cared deeply for them all.

Once they had arrived at the clearing, Kakashi barked an order for them to start warming up before he moved to where Kazuko stood, leaning against what had become her favourite oak tree. His eye crinkled in a smile as he approached, and he stopped much too close to be considered appropriate. If the kids were to see them, they would know something was up.

"Sorry you can't join in," he said, his eye intent on hers. "I would like to see you in action, one of these days."

Kazuko smiled, something she had done more with him than she had in the years since her sister died. "One day. But for now, you have students to train. Go." She pushed against his shoulders in an attempt to shoo him away.

He caught her hands and tugged her closer before leaning in to steal a kiss. It was different, with his mask on. Of course it was—the cloth obscured his soft lips. But she flushed at the contact, her eyes like saucers. "What if the kids see?"

Kakashi shrugged, his eye sparkling with mischief. "They're busy. Besides, it's not like I get a lot of opportunities to kiss you, since you refuse to spend time alone with me."

Kazuko rolled her eyes but relented somewhat. "Fine, you can come over sometimes. _When _Naoko is home." She gave him a stern look when he tried to protest. "I don't want any rumors going around that you're a homewrecker. Now, will you please let me go before your students see us?"

He kissed her again before letting her go and stepping back. The twinkle in his eye stole Kazuko's anger and she shook her head with an exasperated laugh. As she watched his retreating back, Kazuko smiled, feeling content for the first time in years.

.

.

.

Pounding at the front door had Kazuko frowning, and she stood up from the couch. "Kakashi, what did I tell you about coming over uninvited?" she called as she made her way to the door. "I told you that there's no reason to babysit me today. Naoko is here." She frowned when she opened it to find no one standing there, her lie dying on her lips. "Kakashi?"

Glass shattered in the kitchen and Kazuko whirled around in time to see a shadow fly across the room, heading directly for her. She dodged, cursing that once again she didn't have her weapons pouch handy. She had learned from last time, though, and had hidden weapons around her house in case he came back.

She was glad she did. Skirting around the couch, Kazuko pulled a hidden kunai from behind a cushion and aimed it at the masked intruder. She had guessed he might try to attack her during the day, but she had to admit, she had hoped to have backup when it happened. Though, knowing the Night Demon, he had made sure Kazuko would be alone before attacking.

Kazuko threw the kunai. He dodged easily, as she had expected him to. But it had afforded her the chance to create a genjutsu illusion for her opponent. The room remained the same, but he would no longer be able to reach her. Her specialty made it so her opponents could run and run but would never get to her—like a dream where one is running down a hallway, but the door at the end seems to be forever out of reach.

The Night Demon lunged for her but came up short, his hands clutching air. Kazuko noted his confusion but knew he would soon realize what was happening. She didn't have long. He managed to dodge the next two kunai that flew at him, but the third struck. It thudded into his shoulder and he swore, ripping it out and flinging it back at her. When it clattered to the ground in front of her, he realized what was happening.

"You little bitch," he sneered. He made a hand signal and dispelled the genjutsu, glaring at her from behind his mask. "You think you're so smart. But you're just as pathetic and weak as your sister."

Kazuko wasn't planning on listening to his little speech, her mind working overtime on a plan to defeat him, but she came up short at the mention of her sister. Her eyes cut to his. "What?"

"You think I don't know who you are?" he sneered. "I heard about the pretty little white-haired ANBU that was gunning for me. Not many have hair quite like yours, but your sister did."

Red spots appeared in her vision and Kazuko found herself shaking in rage. "Don't you dare speak of her," she seethed, voice trembling with emotion.

Her anger seemed to fuel him, and he laughed. "Why not? Don't you want to know what her final moments were like before I slit her throat? How she begged me to stop, pleading for her life. How she cried out for her dear sister to save her from me."

"Shut up!" Tears streamed down Kazuko's face and she screamed, charging towards him with more anger coursing through her than she had ever felt before. The grin on his face told her she had made a mistake. He wanted to rile her up. Wanted to make her mad and act rashly. And like an idiot, she had.

His hand encircled her neck and squeezed so hard her vision went dark around the edges. Her body instantly sagged, the power seeping out of her much quicker than it had last time and she realized, just before she blacked out, that she wasn't going to be able to get out of this one.

.

.

.

It was just on dusk when Naoko walked through the door, a bag of Chinese food in hand for him and his partner. He felt bad she could no longer help the ANBU with their investigations due to her bodyguards, but he couldn't deny he felt lighter knowing she wasn't putting herself in the line of fire. Knowing she had protection from the Night Demon was the only reason he had decided to stay in Konoha after she was attacked.

The takeaway bag slipped through his fingers as his wide eyes took in the carnage around him. Naoko flew through the house, ripping doors open as he called out his partner's name, all the while his heart beat a panicked rhythm in his chest.

Gone.

The house was empty and Kazuko was gone. How did this happen? She was supposed to leave the house the same time as him to meet with Team Seven, so how did this happen?

A thought struck him, that maybe Kazuko _had_ left and this was just a simple ransacking, but he knew that was just wishful thinking—the blood on the floor told him that much. No, something had definitely taken place here. His stomach heaved at the mere thought of what the Night Demon would do to her.

He had to tell Kakashi. Naoko would inform Kakashi of the situation and then he would assemble the ANBU so they could track what happened. Surely in all this carnage, there would be clues as to where the Night Demon had taken her.

Feet pounded the concrete, barely touching the hard surface before pushing off again. Naoko had never run so fast in his life. But then again, he had never been this scared before. Kazuko was his whole world. She had been his best friend most of his life and had been his partner since they were Genin. He loved her like a sister, and he had promised himself a long time ago that he would protect her with his life.

"Naoko—" Kakashi's shock at seeing him morphed into alarm as the ANBU's features registered. "What happened?"

"She's gone."

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief, but his breathing grew rapid, his eye widening at Naoko's words. "No, she can't be. She was with you."

"She's _gone, _Kakashi!" Naoko wasn't one to lose his temper, but he also wasn't one to lose his best friend to an S-ranked serial killer. "The house is a mess. There's blood—I don't know if it's hers."

"Calm down, Naoko. Take a deep breath and tell me what you know. Because as far as _I _know, she was spending the day with you."

.

.

.

Kazuko's head was throbbing. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth and her throat was so sore it was as if she hadn't had a drink in days. The room around her was damp and cold, and she shivered, attempting to rub her arms to warm them.

Her eyes flew open when she couldn't move her arms. She heard the clinking of metal and looked up to see her hands suspended above her to a chain connected to the ceiling. With a groan—this day just kept getting better and better—she looked down her body to see that her feet were similarly chained to the floor. She was suspended in the air. _At least I'm wearing clothes, _she thought wryly. She had to focus on the small victories.

"Ah, good. You're awake." The Night Demon stepped out from the shadows and Kazuko wondered if he had done that for effect. She had to admit, he made looking evil and menacing look easy. He brandished a long, sharp tipped kunai in hand, and he stroked its edges as he watched her carefully. "I didn't want to start the fun without you."

"That's so kind of you." Kazuko had meant it to be sarcastic, but her voice came out in a raspy croak and she finished the sentence with a coughing fit. Which, she found out, was very painful when suspended in the air.

She allowed her gaze to take in her surroundings. She was in some sort of old warehouse that had obviously been unused for many years. Light filtered in from multiple holes in the ceiling, as would the rain, going from the musty fragrance she had smelled upon waking up.

More alarming than her place of confinement, though, was the array of weapons that were laid out on the table in front of him. Throwing needles, kunai, multiple katana's in varying sizes, a pair of ninja sais and a whip with several tips embedded with metal sat on an old, worn out wooden table. In the back of her mind—the small part that hadn't started freaking out that he had multiple weapons that he intended to use on her—she wondered if he had brought these weapons along with him, or if he had found them here in the village. His MO didn't include torturing his victims beyond rape and cutting off their fingers and slicing their throats; there had never been any other wounds on his victims. Which meant, whatever he planned to do with her was different.

He stepped forward, trailing a finger over the weapons. "Now, which would you like to try out first?"

_None, _Kazuko replied internally. She was really starting to regret her earlier decision to stay home by herself. She had wanted a day on her own, without Naoko or Team Seven hovering over her. She had begun to feel suffocated and had decided a day to herself would help her feel better. _Well, that idea was a complete bust._

"How about," he stopped in front of the half dozen throwing needles and picked them up, rolling the metal through his fingers. "this. If you can dodge them, I'll let you go." His malicious grin cut to her and he flicked his wrist, loosing one of the needles. It pierced her thigh and she winced at the pain. He didn't let up, and the other needles soon struck her shoulders, legs and stomach.

Kazuko tried not to show any sign pain in front of the criminal, knowing he would take even greater satisfaction in that, but she couldn't help wincing as the needles lodged deeply in her flesh. "Why the hell are you doing this, anyway?" she asked through gritted teeth. "This isn't the method of torture you normally use."

"True. But I wanted to do something special with you, since you have caused me so much trouble. After I'm through with you, I'll be leaving this village for greener, less hostile pastures."

"You're never going to leave the village alive," she sneered. "The ANBU will have your neck before you make it to the front gates."

The Night Demon laughed in response. "Those idiots? I've been two steps ahead of them this whole time. I highly doubt they will even know where to look for me. Now," he turned back to the table again, taking his time in choosing the next weapon. "I've been waiting too long to watch you bleed. Why don't we take this to the next level?"

Kazuko strained against her bonds and tried to keep her breathing even as she watched him finger the weapons in thought. "Or we could take things slow. Like, real slow. Baby steps slow."

He picked up a long knife Kazuko had never seen before—it was jagged on one side, like a saw one would cut trees with—before making his way to where she hung, his eyes landing on her chained hands. He grabbed her right hand and pried her fingers free of the fist she had it balled in. She thrashed, trying to fight him, but she was no match for him and soon he had her fingers splayed out in front of him. "I usually do this after I slit their throats, but I want to hear you scream for mercy while I cut your fingers off, one by one."

Bile rose up her throat but Kazuko held it back, refusing to show any sign of weakness in front of this despicable excuse of a human being. "You'll just be wasting your time," she spat back at him. "I won't scream for you."

"Oh, we'll see about that." He ran the blade down her cheek, applying just enough pressure to break the skin. Kazuko felt the warm blood drip down her cheek but she didn't react, and continued to glare at him. He lifted the knife, holding her pointer finger still and she began to thrash against the chains again, her flight instincts kicking in at the knowledge that he was about to cut her finger off. "This will be very painful for you."

That had been the understatement of a lifetime. The pain Kazuko felt while the criminal literally _sawed _into her finger was beyond excruciating, and she had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from screaming. No way in hell was she going to reward him with that. Tears pricked at her eyes and ran down her face, an involuntary motion she couldn't stop.

Blood poured down her arm and over her once clean shirt. Kazuko thought that maybe she would get lucky and the pain would turn into numbness, but she felt the saw-like knife all the way through the bone, until he stepped back with a twisted grin, finger held up like a prize. "One down, nine to go," he said, so calmly he could have been talking about the weather. He must have noticed her eyes lose focus because he tutted. "Don't faint on me. I want you awake the whole time, so I can hear you scream. If you pass out, this will just take longer."

Kazuko felt woozy, both from the blood dripping down her body as well as from seeing her finger in his hand. The thought that he had just crudely amputated one of her precious limbs should have infuriated her, but she was in so much pain she didn't have room to feel anything else. Her eyes drooped shut and she managed to whisper, "Go to hell," before she passed out.

* * *

**This one took me a while to do. I'm not great at the fighting scenes, as I'm sure you noticed. Anyway, we're getting to the end of the story. Stay tuned.**

**Reviews are appreciated. Thank you for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

Kakashi was barely able to control his rage as he ran, his loyal hounds leading the way while Naoko kept up pace beside him. Naoko had planned on going straight to the ANBU after telling Kakashi of Kazuko's abduction, but Kakashi had convinced him that wouldn't be necessary. They had returned to the pair's home and Kakashi called on his canine comrades, intent on using them to track Kazuko's scent. When they realized the blood had come from the Night Demon, he had split his team in two, with half taking the criminal's scent while the other tracked Kazuko's.

It was dark by the time they set out in search of Kazuko. The blood in her apartment was already dry by the time they got there, which told Kakashi that she had been gone for a few hours, at least. The thought drove him to run faster, his heart beating wildly in his chest at the thought of what the criminal could do to her.

They made good time, the hounds following the scents skillfully to the outskirts of the village, where many derelict buildings stood, broken and unused. Kakashi had to give the criminal credit—this was a perfect place for a hideout. He wondered why the ANBU hadn't thought about it sooner, but then again, since the Night Demon seemed to go to the victim and not take them to a secondary location, they probably hadn't thought about him using a hideout at all.

Beside him, Naoko was tense and his eyes scanned the buildings for any signs of danger. Kakashi had suspected almost from the beginning that Naoko and Kazuko didn't share any romantic feelings for one another, but he also knew that the male ANBU cared about his partner a great deal. He felt no jealousy towards the younger man, even knowing their long history together. The two of them were best friends—like siblings, even—and Kakashi was grateful to Naoko for being in her life.

Kakashi himself had only known Kazuko for a relatively short while, but in that time she had become very special to him. She had intrigued him from the start, and the more time he spent in her presence, the more he wanted to get to know her. After finally confirming his suspicions—that she wasn't actually married—he had been determined to see it through to the end. Kakashi never imagined himself settling down with someone; he had never really held romantic feelings for anyone in the past. But recently, he had started wondering what life would be like to be married to someone. To be married to _her._

Kakashi came to a halt when his dogs did and he watched as they sniffed the air, finding the direction of the scents. Pakkun trotted over to him and he bent down to get closer to the small dog.

"It looks like they went into one of the buildings close by," the small dog said. "Do you have a plan of attack in mind?"

He glanced up at Naoko, who was standing beside him. "What do you think, Naoko? It would be best if we had a strategy in place instead of running in blind."

"Yes, of course," Naoko nodded his agreement, his jaw clenched tight. Kakashi got the feeling he didn't want to waste anymore time than was necessary.

Kakashi rocked back on his heels and stood up, eyeing the buildings. "Right," he said, turning to his hounds. "Show us the way to the building. Naoko and I will take it from there."

.

.

.

Kazuko jolted awake. Everywhere hurt. The throwing needles remained embedded in her flesh. Her wrists, arms and shoulders ached from being chained to the ceiling for such a long time. And the stump that was once her finger throbbed, reminding her that it hadn't been just a horrible dream.

She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to open them to start session two of the torture. Kazuko tried to make a genjutsu, but she was in too much pain to do it. Her genjutsu earlier had been hasty, and she normally used it when she had a partner—Naoko usually, since they worked the best together. But it had been an attempt to distract him until she thought of something else, though it hadn't worked out to her favour.

Pain exploded in her side and Kazuko gasped, her eyes flying open. The Night Demon stood before her, one of the ninja sais in his hand while he gave her an almost annoyed look.

"Don't pretend to still be asleep," he said, pulling the weapon slowly out of her side. He watched her reaction with a sick hunger, relishing every movement she made that told him she was in pain.

"It was worth a try," she replied, her teeth clenched against the ache. She felt so weak and she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep herself from screaming if he started sawing into another finger.

"Well, now that you're awake. Let's get down to business, shall we?" He retrieved the strange knife from the table of doom before making his way back to her side, his movements graceful and silent. Kazuko had never stopped to study him too much, but he moved about like a deadly feline, his eyes always on his prey. The thought made her shiver.

Every fibre in her being told her to fight back, but Kazuko was too exhausted to do anything when he reached for her hands again. He chuckled when she whimpered, and he grabbed her right hand. The cool steel of the blade touched her finger and she closed her eyes, readying herself for the explosion of pain that was about to come.

The door to the warehouse exploded inwards and Kazuko's eyes sprung open at the sound. She fought against the desire to pass out again, her eyes drooping so low that she could barely see what was going on.

Two figures burst through the entry and Kazuko heard Naoko call her name, his voice full of alarm. The Night Demon swore, springing away from her to defend himself against the intruders. Kazuko desperately tried to see what was happening, but her body strained against her, wanting to sleep. Another explosion sounded and the smell of smoke permeated the air of the warehouse.

.

.

.

Kakashi had never felt rage quite like this. He spotted Kazuko hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the building, covered in blood. His sharingan shifted as he spotted the offender, and it took every ounce of self-control to remain calm. The Night Demon had leaped away from Kazuko and was standing by a table covered in weapons. Kakashi's stomach roiled at the thought of him using those weapons on her.

_Kill him, _a voice whispered to him. _Make him suffer for hurting her. _Kakashi was all too happy to oblige.

"Naoko, grab Kazuko and get out of here. I'll take care of the Night Demon."

After seeing the ANBU member rush off to do as he asked, Kakashi set his sights once again on the criminal. He wasn't the type who enjoyed killing people, but he knew he would relish every second of this.

In his peripherals, Kakashi saw Pakkun running across the warehouse, setting up paper bombs to serve as a distraction so Naoko and Kazuko could get away safely. The Night Demon was currently eyeing the ANBU member running for his partner, and as soon as Kakashi knew Pakkun was a safe distance away from the blast radius, he made the paper bombs explode.

Like he had hoped, the Night Demon was momentarily distracted by the explosion and Kakashi took the opportunity to run to him, his chidori crackling away in his palm as he closed ranks on the criminal.

He saw Kakashi coming and leaped away before he could land a hit. His sharingan kept a close watch on his enemy, letting Kakashi track his movements easier than would be possible with the naked eye.

The warehouse was on fire from the last explosion. Kakashi hadn't considered the fragile interior of the building when he had thought of his plan, and he cursed himself now for his naivety. The skeleton of the building was metal, but there was plenty of wood in its body to make it flourish much quicker than Kakashi would have liked.

He saw the Night Demon lunge for him from the corner of his eye and Kakashi sprung away, careful to not let the criminal touch him. Kazuko had said he had the ability to drain one's powers, and Kakashi refused to let that happen to him.

He took another moment to check on his comrades' progress, only to find they hadn't moved. He yelled at Naoko to hurry up and then turned once again to the Night Demon. Despite wanting to take his time in killing the criminal in front of him, Kakashi knew he had to make this quick, before the whole building came down on him. He refused to do anything that could jeopardize him seeing Kazuko again.

.

.

.

A high-pitched sound, like thousands of birds chirping, filled the warehouse, and behind her closed lids the warehouse lit up. Kazuko managed to open her eyes when someone touched her shoulder and she saw the worried face of her partner in front of her.

He grabbed the chains surrounding her feet and pulled and the metal screeched before the pressure around her ankles disappeared. She would have collapsed to the floor if her arms weren't holding her up, and when he wrenched her wrists free, she fell forward into his arms. He picked her up carefully, his face twisted in pain as he saw the damage done to her.

The smell of smoke was stronger now, and a bright orange glow illuminated the dark building. Naoko held her still, his eyes searching the room. "You're going to be okay, Kazuko. Kakashi is taking care of the Night Demon, but we have to leave. This building is old and unstable, and the fire is ripping through it faster than we expected it to. It'll come down any second."

The sound of her partner's voice was like balm to her ears and tears sprung into her eyes. She hadn't expected to be rescued. To hear the two people she cared about most had come to save her was overwhelming. "Thank you, Naoko," she whispered. She held his gaze and he sent her a strained smile.

Kakashi's voice came from somewhere to her left, angry and urgent. "Hurry up, Naoko. We don't have much time."

"Right." A look of determination came over Naoko's face and he hurried to the door, being careful not to jostle her too much.

Creaking, like nails on a chalkboard, sounded from above, and the next second Kazuko was on the ground, the wind having been knocked out of her. She looked around to see what had happened and found Naoko on the ground, a large sheet of metal crushing his torso. She scrambled on her hands and knees until she was beside him, ignoring the pain that licked through her body with each movement, and tried to lift the metal off him. She tore her hands away with a yelp when it burned her.

"Naoko," she called, shaking his shoulder. "Naoko, get up! You have to help me get this off you."

He groaned, opening his eyes to locate her. "You have to leave, Kazuko."

She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "No. Not without you. Hurry up, this should be easy for you!"

One of Naoko's specialities was being able to increase his strength tenfold, but he struggled against the steel, unable to move. His eyes widened when his body didn't obey his commands. "I can't feel my legs, Kazuko. My body isn't responding."

"Stop joking around, Naoko!" Tears were burning hot trails down her cheeks as she watched her partner try and fail to move the hunk of steel on top of him. It terrified her. This should be a walk in the park for him. Why couldn't he lift it?

Her hands burned against the steel as she took hold of it, but still she heaved, ignoring the pain. Naoko was yelling at her, telling her to go, but she shook her head, refusing to listen as she tried to pry the metal off his body.

She was torn away from him and she screamed, ignoring the pain in her body as she thrashed against the person holding her. "Enough, Kazuko," Kakashi whispered in her ear, trying to calm her.

Her mind ran wild, imaging her partner left for dead, unable to move as the building burned around him. "Let me go! I'm not leaving him!"

Kakashi ignored her pleas. "I'm coming back for him," he told her, lifting her into his arms as he quickly made his way to the entrance. "I need to get you to safety first."

The cool night air should have comforted her as Kakashi settled her onto the ground softly, but Kazuko's mind was a jumble of emotions. By sheer willpower alone she had refused to pass out, and after using what was left of her strength to try and help Naoko, she felt beyond exhausted.

A voice pulled Kakashi's attention away from her and he told the newcomers that Naoko was inside. He turned back to Kazuko, his eyes grazing her body.

She tried to push his hands away as he brushed hair out of her face, but she could barely lift her limbs. "What about Naoko?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

Kakashi looked into her eyes, and she saw so many feelings in their depth as he stared at her. Worry, pain, anger, relief, and longing all shined in his different coloured eyes. "He'll be fine. The ANBU are with him as we speak." He reached out, his hand hesitating before resting on her cheek softly. His eyes shone with unshed tears and he leaned down to press his forehead against hers. "I thought I'd lost you," he breathed, voice thick with emotion.

She tried to reply, tried to reach out and touch his cheek, to reassure him that she was fine, but all her energy had drained from her. She managed a weak smile before her eyes fluttered closed, and for the third time that day she lost consciousness.

* * *

**This story doesn't get many rates or reviews, so I don't really know if many are following it, but if you have been: thank you. Please stay tuned for the last chapter coming soon.**


	10. Chapter 10

Everything ached.

It took a long time before Kazuko could open her eyes, and when she finally managed to, glaring light forced them shut again. She groaned, feeling every ache and pain in her body as she tried to shield her face from the glare.

Something warm touched her face and she heard a voice calling her name, but the sound was muffled. They called her name again, full of concern and relief. She struggled to open her eyes again, but still she couldn't see who had spoken, the light silhouetting their face from her.

The voice became clearer and she realized that it was Kakashi speaking. His hand was holding her cheek softly and he leaned down to press his forehead against hers. Finally, her eyes adjusted and she saw his face, so close to her own. His visible eyebrow was drawn down, his lips pressed together in concern. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eye indicating his exhaustion.

"Kakashi," she croaked, her throat bone dry.

A shudder ran through his body and his other hand came up to frame her face. "I'm here, baby. I'm right here."

"Thirsty."

"What? Oh!" He pulled away from her and reached over to where a glass of water sat on the bedside table. "Here," he said, holding it to her lips. She would have scolded him, saying she could hold it herself, but her arms felt heavy by her side and it took great effort to even try and lift them.

She drank greedily, quickly draining the glass, and asked for more. He refilled it but didn't return it to her, instead putting it back on the table. "Don't drink too much at once; let that sit for a bit."

Now that she had some moisture back in her body, Kazuko tried to lift herself into a sitting position. She gasped as pain shot through her body and Kakashi was in front of her in an instant. He held her gently by the shoulders, keeping her still.

"You shouldn't get up yet. Your body has taken a lot of damage and it'll be some time before you are strong enough to move around." He brushed hair out of her face, his fingers so delicate and light it made her heart ache.

Her mind protested lying still for so long—she needed to be up and moving about—but she knew her body wasn't in the position to do so. She would have to suck it up and do as she was told for once, whether she liked it or not.

Her eyes widened suddenly and she pressed against his hands, forgetting his words as she struggled to rise. Her breathing grew rapid and the beeping on the heart monitor started increasing, showing her anxiety. "Where's Naoko?"

"He's fine, Kazuko," Kakashi replied, stroking his hand over her hair soothingly. "He's in the hospital, but he's fine."

The little strength she had in her body drained from her exertions, Kazuko collapsed against the mattress. She searched Kakashi's eye, knowing he was hiding something from her. "What happened?" When he avoided her gaze, her voice grew stronger. "Tell me, Kakashi."

He pulled a seat closer to her bedside and grabbed her good hand—though she noticed that it was bandaged. He saw her looking at it and said, "Your hands were burned from holding onto the metal sheet, so the nurse bandaged them." He held her eyes, his own serious. "Firstly, I want to assure you that he is fine. He's recovering well."

That didn't instil her with a lot of confidence. "But…"

Kakashi took a deep breath. "The metal sheet that fell on him crushed his spine. He's lost all feeling from his waist down."

The heart monitor picked up again. "Is it reversible?"

"No. He's going to need to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life."

Kazuko shook her head, not believing him. "You said he was fine! That is _not_ fine, Kakashi!"

He tried to soothe her, stroking her arm with soft touches, but she began to shake, the heart monitor indicating her distress. "He _is _fine. He is alive, healthy and in good spirits."

She wasn't listening, her mind turning to thoughts of her oldest and dearest friend. He would never walk again. They would never again be able to go on missions together. A choked sob escaped when she realized he would never be a ninja again.

Kazuko cried as hard as she had the day she learned about her sister. Great, heaving sobs shook her body, shooting pain through her with each one. Kakashi tried to settle her, but his voice was distant to her ears. She thrashed against the bed, unable to contain her emotions.

Something sharp jabbed into her arm and she felt a strange calm take over her. She stopped struggling, her breathing evening out as her eyes drooped closed. Voices sounded above her, Kakashi speaking to someone.

"What happened here? She's opened up her wounds again." an unfamiliar voice said, sounding frustrated.

"I'm sorry. I told her about her partner's condition."

"You shouldn't have done that!" the angry lady scolded him. "She is in no condition to get riled up right now."

Kakashi sounded contrite, and Kazuko wondered why the lady was getting mad at him. "She wanted to know. I couldn't lie to her."

The lady huffed. "She'll be fine now. The sedative is fast acting. But don't let her lose control like that the next time she wakes up."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

Kazuko wanted to reach out to him, hearing him sound so defeated. How dare that woman make him feel bad! But her body felt as though it was floating on air, and the anger didn't last for more than a few seconds. She felt so tired, and she wanted to sleep again, to sink into the clouds that were cradling her.

"Kakashi," she managed, wanting his touch.

He was there in an instant, one hand holding hers, the other cradling her face. "I'm here. Do you need anything?"

"Stay with me."

Lips brushed against her forehead. "Always, baby. Get some rest. I'll be right here when you wake up."

She did, the clouds soothing her into a peaceful sleep.

.

.

.

Sitting up hurt like hell, but she refused to lie down for another second.

Kazuko had taken stock of her body when Kakashi first helped her sit up, noting all of the bandages that covered her skin. She had practically been turned into a mummy from her thighs up, and her two hands were completely bandaged, the stump on her left hand plainly visible for all to see.

She had stared at that stump for a long time, until Kakashi closed his hands around hers and hid it from her view. She knew it didn't matter, not really. She still had nine other fingers—that one missing appendage wouldn't hinder her at all. Not like what had happened to Naoko. Still, it would be a constant reminder for her that she had been too weak to stop the Night Demon. And she didn't like reminders of her weaknesses.

Kakashi brought her hand up and gently kissed the covered stump. When his eye caught hers, her breath caught at the look reflected in his dark gaze. When she told him why she didn't like it, he replied that instead of a weakness, to him it showed her strength. She had gone through a lot at the Night Demon's hands, yet she survived, as strong and fierce as ever.

"Every time I see it, I'll be thankful," he said, kissing it again.

Emotion filled her and Kazuko desperately wanted to reach out and hold him. At seeing the longing in her eyes, he leaned over, his lips close to hers.

"I've come to see you, Kazuko! Ah, I seem to be disturbing you again." Naoko's voice sounded loud in the small room and Kakashi flew away from her. Naoko's eyes turned to Kakashi and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry for my bad timing."

Kakashi returned his smile. "It's fine. Kazuko has been wanting to see you."

She had, but it still felt like a punch to the gut when she saw him in the wheelchair. Kazuko had tried to tell herself she was okay with it, that she wouldn't cry when she finally saw him, but tears welled in her eyes at the sight of his legs hanging uselessly from the wheelchair.

"Hey, why are you crying?" He pushed himself close to her bed and reached out a hand to dry her cheeks. "I'm not dead."

"I'm sorry," she managed through a sob. "I told myself I wouldn't do this."

Naoko sent her a playful smile, but his eyes were sad. "This is so unlike you, Kazuko. Look, you're making such an ugly face right now."

She managed a laugh and his arms came around her, hugging her tight. "Don't scare me like that every again, idiot."

Naoko chuckled. "That's my line. You damn near gave me a heart attack, woman."

Kakashi let them have their moment, standing against the wall silently as he watched the two friends embrace. Finally, Naoko looked over to him with a grin. "Sorry Kakashi. I don't mean to monopolize your girlfriend's attention."

"Monopolize all you want, Naoko," Kakashi replied, eye twinkling. "Once you leave, I'll have her all to myself."

A knock at the door had Naoko laughing. "Think again, friend," he said, watching with amusement as Team Seven bounded through the door.

Naruto rushed to Kazuko's side, chattering away about how worried he was and asking if she was okay. Sakura followed him, eyes full of worry, and she stood close to the bed, taking in her injuries. Kazuko shot her a reassuring smile, letting her know she was okay.

Sasuke was the last to enter the room, hanging back against the wall close to Kakashi, but Kazuko could see the worry he tried to keep out of his eyes. It was almost overwhelming, being surrounded by the people she considered closest to her, and she had to stop herself from breaking down all over again. She had never been a crier, but lately she couldn't seem to stop.

Kakashi had told her that the Night Demon was dead. While Naoko was helping her get out of the burning warehouse, Kakashi had struck him down. Kazuko had felt a twinge of envy that he had been the one to do it instead of her, but she knew that feeling was ridiculous. The only thing that mattered was that he was no longer around to hurt anyone else.

She caught Kakashi's eye above the flurry of heads around her and he smiled at her from behind his mask, his gaze full of relief and longing. Kazuko returned the smile. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for her.

.

.

.

_Six Months Later…_

The garden looked impeccable, with tables and chairs spanning the large area, while enough space was left for dancing. People milled about, chattering and laughing happily with one another, excited for the afternoon ahead.

A hand squeezed hers and she glanced up to share a loving look with her new husband, who looked dashing in a white suit piece. She had laughed when she had first seen him, a white mask on his face that complemented the rest of his outfit. He told her he had to keep up appearances, and teased that if he didn't wear it, he would take the spotlight off her with his good looks.

At the ceremony, he had dipped her, his back to the audience, so he could kiss her without the mask. Cheers echoed through the room—the loudest being Naruto's and Naoko's—and Kazuko was flustered and red by the time he set her upright again.

After she had recovered from her injuries, Kazuko traveled to Sunagakure to report to her ANBU captain. Naoko stayed behind in Konoha, happy to let her deal with the captain, while Kakashi and his team accompanied her.

She had decided to ask for a transfer—from Sunagakure's ANBU to Konoha—and she brought with her the permission of the Hokage. She just had to convince her Kazekage, which in the end, didn't prove too hard. He looked happy for her and gave his permission, without her even having to give the speech she had prepared.

Kazuko had packed her most valuable items from her apartment before doing the same in Naoko's apartment, since he had decided that if she was going to live in Konoha, then he would too. Ever since they were children, he had followed her everywhere, and Kazuko was thankful of his decision to stay with her. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

It seemed everyone had come to their wedding, both from Konoha and Suna. Kazuko saw many of her ANBU comrades, including her captain, and her heart swelled with emotion at knowing how much they cared. Kakashi had a lot of friends, most of which she had already met, but some were new to her and introduced themselves throughout the day.

Guy tried on several occasions during the day to start a contest with Kakashi, goading him, but Kakashi refused to take the bait. Kazuko could tell he wanted to, though—despite appearing mature, she knew he was just a big child—and she encouraged him to go along with his friend. Kakashi had laughed and told her she would regret it if he did. Apparently, carnage seemed to follow their rivalry games.

So many people came up to them with congratulatory words that Kazuko almost felt overwhelmed. When Asuma and Kurenai left after chatting for some time, Kazuko let out a breath to compose herself.

"You doing okay?" Kakashi asked, his eye watching her with concern.

She smiled at him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Of course. I'm just not used to talking to so many people. Or smiling so much."

Naoko rolled up to them, a huge grin on his face. If people didn't know any better, they would think that _he _was the one getting married. He reached out and Kazuko immediately went to him, hugging him tightly.

"Congrats, partner," he whispered. "It's good to see you so happy."

Kazuko leaned away, wiping a tear as she did so, and sent him a smile. "Thank you, Naoko. For everything. I love you."

"Aw, shucks. I can count on one hand how many times you've said those words to me."

"What, thank you?"

Naoko laughed. "That too." His eyes turned soft and he grabbed her hands. "I really am happy for you, Kazuko. You deserve this."

He rolled away before he started blubbering and Kazuko moved back into Kakashi's embrace with a smile. She leaned against him, tilting her head so she could look him in the eye. "I hope you don't end up regretting this decision," she said.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? And what makes you think I'd do that?"

A mischievous smile touched her lips. "I can be pretty feisty. And stubborn. I'm unrelenting and I don't like to compromise." She patted his chest affectionately. "We might fight a lot."

"You know the best thing about fighting?" he asked, eye twinkling with mirth. "I hear the make-up sex is amazing."

Kazuko laughed, shaking her head and ignoring her reddened cheeks. "You're such a pervert, Kakashi."

Guy, his booming voice made louder with the microphone, announced it was time for the bride and groom to have their first dance. Kakashi led her by the hand to the dancefloor and circled his arms around her waist, a contented sigh escaping as he held her close.

He leaned down to plant a kiss to her nose. "Are you happy, Kazuko?"

"More than I can express with words," she replied, reaching up to kiss him over his mask.

"Good. I promise I'll do everything I can to make you happy in the future, too. I love you, Kazuko."

Kazuko squeezed her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, her heart full. "I know. And I promise to do the same, Kakashi." The guests faded into the background as they held each other, swaying lightly to the music. She tilted her head back, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him, her mind imagining the future they would have together. "I love you too."

* * *

**And that's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who followed this story. ****I hope you enjoyed Kazuko and Kakashi's story. :3**

**(In case anyone is thinking I thought of making Naoko paraplegic because of what happened to Guy in the series, that isn't true. I first wrote this back in 2014, long before they finished the series.)**

**I would love to hear your reviews now that the story has ended. If you liked it, please let me know. :)**


End file.
